Discover the significance of stabilizing temperature in microplate studying expertise to attain sturdy and reproducible knowledge in your drug discovery workflows
Ann-Cathrin Volz, software specialist at BMG LABTECH
Drug discovery and screening is a posh and time-consuming course of that requires using superior expertise and specialised tools to make sure knowledge integrity and accuracy. Uniform and reproducible detection circumstances are important to make sure the reproducibility and accuracy of outcomes, resulting in extra dependable knowledge and finally facilitating profitable analysis outputs. On this context, temperature is usually ignored.
On this article, Ann-Cathrin Volz, software specialist at BMG LABTECH, describes the important thing issues to assist optimize knowledge high quality and reproducibility in drug discovery. Plus, Volz discusses a novel microplate studying expertise addition that gives assay stability by the management of exterior circumstances akin to temperature, and the way this expertise may also help improve the standard of the info and speed up the drug discovery and improvement pipeline.
Sustaining regular temperature to make sure sturdy and dependable knowledge
Attaining reproducible knowledge in drug discovery might be difficult because of the complexity and variability of organic techniques and experimental circumstances. Standardizing protocols and controlling variables akin to temperature and humidity are vital steps in enhancing reproducibility. Ann-Cathrin Volz discusses why it is a important problem that drug discovery models are dealing with in the present day.
“The hurdles that at the moment exist in drug screening are very numerous and complicated,” Volz explains. “A fundamental requirement for all drug discovery applications is that the generated knowledge are dependable and might be generated in a reproducible method. Furthermore, in in the present day’s globalized panorama, it’s required that the compound libraries current at completely different websites worldwide are handled in the identical method, and that knowledge generated at these completely different websites are sturdy and comparable.” It’s at the moment frequent follow to make use of the identical kits, analytic units, and protocols throughout models to make sure comparable circumstances. However along with standardized working procedures (SOPs), a gentle experimental atmosphere is key for sturdy and high-quality knowledge.
Volz explains that gentle elements akin to temperature and humidity are sometimes ignored. The local weather varies between places of drug discovery models worldwide, however temperature fluctuations inside models are additionally an on a regular basis prevalence in lots of laboratories. “These temperature fluctuations could derive from heating, air-conditioning, open home windows, daylight, seasonal modifications, waste warmth of different devices, or from staffing,” Volz feedback. “This may have a major impact on pharmacological experiments like biochemical reactions or binding kinetics that are oftentimes evaluated on microplate readers.”
As many drug screening experiments depend on microplate readers for high-quality and reproducible knowledge, it’s obligatory to contemplate all elements that will have an effect on the instrument’s accuracy and precision. The affect of pattern dealing with, akin to pipetting accuracy, the selection of assay, and using standardized protocols play a serious position. Nevertheless, additionally it is vital to make sure that samples are stored at a relentless temperature.
“Usually, the temperature inside a plate reader is increased than the room temperature (RT),” says Volz. “That is because of the warmth generated by the digital parts of the instrument throughout operation. For temperature-sensitive assays, making ready and measuring a microplate at completely different temperatures might be problematic. Because of the completely different temperatures, the samples on the plate can calm down or heat up after their switch to the microplate reader. In temperature-dependent assays, this will have an effect on the sign output, simply leading to well-to-well variability and even in tendencies throughout the plate.”
When screening bigger libraries, additionally it is vital to measure on the identical temperature over a protracted time to keep away from temperature-related results on the info and guarantee comparability amongst completely different plates in a marketing campaign.
Counteracting temperature fluctuations with novel expertise for microplate readers
Whereas exterior temperature is a generally ignored consideration in drug discovery, there are additionally limitations in present microplate reader expertise that may result in inconsistent knowledge as a result of temperature fluctuations. “Common microplate readers can management the interior temperature from a number of levels above RT to 45°C or increased,” explains Volz. “This doesn’t solely imply that they can’t go under RT, however that they can’t attain it in any respect because the operation of the unit routinely causes a sure heating of the incubation chamber. As a consequence of this and to the ever-present temperature fluctuations in laboratories, measurement underneath fixed circumstances could be very laborious to attain.”
A brand new add-on for the PHERAstar® FSX microplate reader by BMG LABTECH has been designed to match room temperature circumstances and guarantee upkeep at any temperature between 18 and 45°C. The ‘Superior Assay Stability’ (AAS) system achieves this by routinely heating or cooling the microplate measurement chamber relying on the exterior atmosphere.
Volz describes how this resolution ensures the microplate reader maintains a gentle temperature that’s unaffected by exterior environmental modifications whereas in operation. “By setting the unit to RT, a temperature gradient between ambient temperature and the temperature within the reader is prevented. Consequently, plates might be ready, incubated, and measured on the identical temperature. Moreover, the temperature might be stored fixed over days and weeks, making certain similar detection circumstances for all plates in a batch or a screening marketing campaign. This feature is especially useful for temperature-sensitive functions, kinetic measurements, or assays that must be run at RT or under.”
The PHERAstar FSX with AAS system gives a steady temperature no matter exterior fluctuations
“One other benefit outcomes from the particular design of the PHERAstar FSX with AAS,” Volz continues. “The AAS is a closed system, which eliminates the exterior airflow to the within of the plate reader. The restricted airflow helps to maintain humidity fixed and cut back pattern evaporation when in comparison with typical plate readers.”
The PHERAstar FSX with AAS system
This method affords advantages for researchers operating temperature-sensitive assays in addition to kinetic measurements, and for all customers with excessive knowledge high quality calls for, notably in screening amenities.
“Teams or collaboration companions who generate knowledge in several geographic places will improve reproducibility and comparability of their outcomes,” Volz provides. “As well as, multi-user labs with completely different wants and functions could profit from the AAS system because it permits a fast swap between functions at excessive and low temperatures.”
Volz summarizes, “the PHERAstar FSX with AAS gives improved assay stability and extra dependable knowledge which allow reproducible screening outcomes throughout laboratories in several places and environments worldwide.”
Discover out extra about how the PHERAstar FSX can profit your workflows, no matter your software.
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