Applying microchip technology to protein analysis

Some of the same advances that shrunk the size of computers while dramatically boosting their speed are now at work in biomedical and biochemical research labs, accelerating biological research and the promise of life-saving cures.

Moving from the genome to the medicine cabinet

Miniature laboratories are the latest tool scientists are using in their drive to turn the newly understood human genome into a roadmap to drug discovery. While researchers and patients searching for new and better drugs cheered when Craig Venter of Celera Genomics recently announced the completion of the Human Genome sequence, this knowledge of the genetic material in human DNA is only the beginning. It represents a first step for scientists who are working to develop drug therapies to treat the root causes of disease and not just the symptoms. The next step is to gain a detailed understanding of how genes function and which genes are good targets for drug development. Before the remedies long sought by frustrated patients can become reality, much more must be learned about gene function, and this miniature technology will play a key role in assisting the surge of experimentation and analysis involved.

The Laboratory-on-a-Chip

Lab-on-a-Chip technology (developed by Agilent's partner, Caliper Technologies Corp.) is based on microfluidics, a technique that allows samples of fluids to be prepared and analyzed within the confines of a microchip. The chip itself consists of a network of tiny channels manufactured in glass that serve as pathways for the movement of fluid samples. Fluids move as voltage gradients are created across the fluid, simulating the action of much larger valves and pumps. When the chip is loaded with samples and placed in the Agilent 2100 bioanalyzer, electrodes attached to the lid of the analyzer sit down into fluid wells on the chip, and testing begins. LabChips® are available to analyze protein, DNA, and RNA in fluid samples. The analysis of the sample takes place as fluids are moving through the chip in a process called electrophoresis.

Prior to the Lab-on-a-Chip, electrophoresis was done by molecular biologists applying samples by hand to gel-covered plates. After several hours, the proteins or nucleic acid molecules separated into visible bands on the surface of the gel. The bands were then read by visual inspection. This process has some serious disadvantages: it is tedious, subjective and subject to potential variations from one lab to the next.

Better research in less time

Miniaturizing the laboratory onto a chip the size of your fingertip has a number of advantages over conventional electrophoresis. First, it reduces the labor-intensive process of manually transferring and handling samples, saving time and reducing errors. Second, it requires smaller amounts of fluids. Third, fluids travel shorter distances in the chip, which translates to speedier results. The recently introduced protein labchip, for example, can analyze protein size and purity of 10 samples in less than 30 minutes. That's 5 to 10 times faster than manual techniques. In addition to faster sample analysis, the Agilent 2100 bioanalyzer uses advanced software to archive findings and present results in a variety of formats that help researchers share and compare their work.

Enabling hypothesis-driven research

This combination of tools and information enables an approach called hypothesis-driven research. Such research gives scientists the flexibility to modify experimental design based on the outcome of previous experiments, thus taking some of the guesswork out of the lengthy drug development process. Laboratories that are applying the new miniaturized technology are already seeing reductions research time and cost with improved efficiency and analysis quality.

For more information

Agilent's life sciences business provides a variety of innovative technologies for accelerating drug discovery and enabling other medical advances. To learn more about the Lab-on-a-Chip and all of Agilent's life sciences products, visit www.agilent.com/chem/labonachip or www.agilent.com/chem/lifescience.

LabChip® is a U.S. registered trademark of Caliper Technologies Corporation

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