Due to its unique gridless design of ion source and reflectron, this novel instrument provides superior 15k resolution, as well as excellent mass accuracy and sensitivity
Bruker Daltonics has announced the Microflex, a high-performance research-grade bench-top matrix assisted laser desorption ionisation - time-of-flight (Maldi-Tof) mass spectrometer.
Due to its unique gridless design of ion source and reflectron, this novel instrument provides superior 15k resolution, as well as excellent mass accuracy and outstanding sensitivity.
The Microflex is designed as a compact and affordable bench- top package that is convenient for many life-science laboratories. The microflex operates under integrated Compass software for easy operation in multi-instrument laboratories, and with what is claimed to be the most comprehensive bioinformatics analysis software suite in the industry.
It can be applied to expression proteomics, clinical proteomics or functional genomics without compromise in performance.
The Microflex benefits from patented AnchorChip technology which provides homogeneous, exactly-positioned samples on the Maldi-target for robust and fast automation, as well as a sensitivity boost by up to two orders of magnitude.
The new Microscout ion source uses targets plates of exactly one quarter the size of industry-standard microtitre plates (MTP).
Therefore, four Microscout targets can be processed simultaneously with most MTP-compatible laboratory robots.
Furthermore, the microflex system can be an integral module of either Proteineer for high-success expression proteomics, or ClinProt for biomarker discovery and clinical proteomics.
ClinProt is an integrated set of tools for peptide and protein biomarker discovery and clinical proteomics research, including automated magnetic bead based sample preparation methods, and ClinProTools comprehensive analysis, visualiszation and statistical model building software tools.
For pharmaceutical customers, the microflex system offers software tools to support customers in achieving 21 CFR Part 11 compliance.
Bruker Daltonics provides optional IQ, OQ and PV services to FDA-regulated customers.
Ulrich Giessmann, vice president of Bruker Daltonics, explains: "With the Microflex, we have introduced the first very high performance bench-top Maldi-Tof instrument to the life- science mass spectrometry market. "By combining well-proven and new technology with a robust support concept, we have generated a next-generation system that can meet the demands of most life science researchers for no-compromise performance in a compact and easy-to-use system. "We believe the Microflex will appeal particularly to clinical researchers and pharmaceutical customers.
"The microflex has the potential to grow the bench-top Maldi-Tof market considerably."
