Thermo Fisher Scientific and Proteome Sciences (PS) have announced a collaboration to deliver products for protein biomarker research.
The collaboration unites the resources of the proteomics reagent team at the Thermo Fisher Scientific Biomarker Research Initiatives in Mass Spectrometry (BRIMS) Center with Proteome Sciences to further develop quantitative proteomic workflows that are based on best-in-class reagents and hardware and software for biomarker discovery and validation.
Proteome Sciences has installed Thermo Scientific LTQ Orbitrap Velos and TSQ Vantage mass spectrometer systems at its research laboratories in Frankfurt, Germany, to extend its biomarker discovery and validation workflows.
As part of the collaboration, Proteome Sciences will combine Thermo Scientific mass spectrometry technology with its integrated PS Biomarker Services workflow that is powered by tandem mass tag (TMT) reagents.
'The Thermo Scientific Orbitrap LTQ Velos mass spectrometer, with its combination of HCD and ETD fragmentation, will allow us to extend the scope of proteomic services we offer to customers,' said Ian Pike, chief operating officer of Proteome Sciences.
'When using the TSQ Vantage high-sensitivity triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in combination with our TMT tandem mass tag technology for assay development, we can offer integrated biomarker discovery, qualification and assay validation workflows.
'We have already successfully used TMT technology to develop mass spec assays for blood biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease and are extending our coverage for other proprietary biomarkers in cancer and brain damage.
'Access to these resources is available through our PS Biomarker Services Division,' he added.
Proteome Sciences and Thermo Fisher Scientific have already been working together following the licensing of Proteome Sciences' isobaric mass tagging reagents.
The companies have recently expanded the range of products through the launch of a cysteine-reactive sixplex TMT set and an anti-TMT antibody used to enrich labelled peptides that improve sensitivity and breadth of coverage for many low-abundance proteins.
John Rogers, manager of Thermo Scientific Pierce Proteomics Reagents R+D, said: 'We have been pushing the capabilities of the TMT technology to take full advantage of the outstanding mass spec performance of the core tag structure.
'The introduction of cysTMT reagents and an immobilised antibody to the TMT reagent core structure is just the start of the process, and further TMT products with additional reactive selectivity are in the pipeline.
'One major development scheduled for 2011 is a six plex set that can be used in both HCD and ETD fragmentation modes on the LTQ Orbitrap Velos mass spectrometer.
'By using the same core chemistry across the TMT range, quantitative mass spec studies for biomarker discovery and targeted quantification can readily be performed without changing mass spec set-up,' he added.
Over the past three years, Proteome Sciences has been working with team members at the BRIMS Center to adapt workflows for isotope dilution mass spectrometry assays based on the technique of selected reaction monitoring (SRM).
With the installation of the highly sensitive TSQ Vantage triple quadrupole mass spectrometer and Thermo Scientific Accela LC system at its Frankfurt labs, Proteome Sciences will expand its relationship with BRIMS to develop its biomarker assays in Alzheimer's disease and cancer to develop these for clinical research applications.
Dr Malcolm Ward, chief technical officer of Proteome Science's UK development group, said: 'The interaction with the staff at BRIMS has provided us with early access to the data analysis software needed for the scheduling and interpretation of multiplex quantitative protein assays.
'This has culminated in our developing standard workflows to streamline assay set-up that are now incorporated into Thermo Scientific Pinpoint software,' he added.
