Inside xMAP INTELLIFLEX®: Representing the Customer Voice

By Gabby Mora

xMAP® Technology was designed to transform scientists’ ability to multiplex assays through the use of beads, and it has been more successful than our founders could ever have imagined, with >20,000 installations of xMAP platforms around the world. While that statistic gives us tremendous pride in our technology and the novel science it enables, the widespread use of xMAP Technology is also a responsibility we take very seriously. We know that researchers around the world count on us to deliver reliable tools and trustworthy results.

That sense of responsibility was top of mind as we developed our latest xMAP platform, the xMAP INTELLIFLEX® System. Enhancements in this new tool include a dual reporter feature to double the data that can be generated from each experiment, plus powerful, user-friendly software. Along with the updated tech, we also created a dedicated team to support the xMAP INTELLIFLEX instrument and our customers. It includes representatives from a number of specialties within Luminex to ensure that we’re able to respond quickly to questions and requests while also rolling out new functionality to our users.

In this blog series, we’re introducing readers to members of that special xMAP INTELLIFLEX team. Today, we’ll meet Marianne Vruwink, Field Applications Specialist for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as Bobby Bhatia, Regional Business Manager for the central region in North America.

Q: What do you do to support the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Marianne: I primarily test new software and other changes to the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System. Here in the Netherlands, we have a demonstration lab where we test everything from a customer’s perspective. My job is to be the eyes and ears of the customers, providing feedback to the xMAP INTELLIFLEX team. I work very closely with them, visiting customer sites and seeing how the system is behaving in their hands. If there’s a problem, I try to help find a solution.

Bobby: My job is to bridge the gap between the internal Luminex team and our xMAP end users. With over 14 years of Luminex instrument and assay experience, I spend a solid amount of time in the field visiting scientists and seeing how they invest in our technology, from academic/hospitals to CROs to biopharma companies. I appreciate the opportunity to hear from key scientists who are using our xMAP INTELLIFLEX System to solve their research problems, along with any feedback. I then communicate those key needs with our product management to gradually improve the system with new software enhancements.

Q: How does your team help drive improvements for the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Marianne: We do that by striving for excellent customer support. One example is the major updates that have been made to the xMAP INTELLIFLEX Software to make it more customer-friendly. All the early feedback we received from the first software version has already been integrated into the latest update. Now, the feedback is that customers are happy with the software and its ease of use.

Bobby: I’m very excited about the long-term future of the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System, along with its growing strength. For example, I’m focused on how its current software compares to our own legacy xMAP systems as well as to competitive technologies. Since we know this is our future and we see the excitement from end users, we have to continue to make our software smoother than what our customers expect or are used to, and ensure that it makes their workflow successful. Our communication with end users to learn how xMAP is utilized in their projects leads to feedback that is vital for the xMAP INTELLIFLEX hardware/software development as well as durability. Our users are seeing benefits such as software ease-of-use and plate acquisition speed.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Marianne: I’m very happy with the edit parameters function. If you make a mistake, you can reacquire the data under modified parameters without running the plate again. That’s my favorite new feature because it has made it easier and quicker for customers to use the system.

Bobby: My favorite feature is the ease of use of the software, which is ideal for new xMAP end users. It’s very intuitive and easy to set up the assay plate and kit protocol. I also appreciate the system’s broad dynamic range, which can be very important for the high detection of certain biomarkers.

 

Check out this flyer to learn more about the differences between xMAP INTELLIFLEX software and legacy xPONENT® Software.

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Get the inside scoop on xMAP INTELLIFLEX

Explore how xMAP empowers researchers with the support of multiplexing experts like Marianne and Bobby, and read more Inside xMAP INTELLIFLEX blogs below:

  • Blog: Inside xMAP INTELLIFLEX: Supporting You in the Field
    Read now >>
  • Blog: Inside xMAP INTELLIFLEX: SD&I
    Read now >>
  • Blog: Inside xMAP INTELLIFLEX: Design & Engineering Team
    Read now >>

Inside xMAP INTELLIFLEX®: Supporting You in the Field

By Gabby Mora

In this ongoing blog series, we’ve been profiling the Luminex team members who support customers of our newest xMAP® Technology platform, the xMAP INTELLIFLEX® System. The latest generation includes new features such as a dual reporter functionality to increase the data-generating potential for our users.

Meet Ronald Backer, senior field applications scientist, and Tomasz Zborowski, sales and application specialist for Nordic and Eastern Europe. Lending field support and training scientists to become xMAP super users is what they do best.

Q: What do you do to support the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Ronald: One of my roles is helping customers set up their assays. If they have the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System, we can take their existing assays from previous instruments and transfer them to the xMAP INTELLIFLEX. I also provide instrument training, either in our demonstration lab or in the customer’s lab. I show people how to build an experiment, operate the instrument, and troubleshoot any issues that might come up. I joined Luminex at the same time the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System was launched, and it’s been great to see how happy people are with it. As soon as they see the box and use the software, they really love it.

Tomasz: In the past, I worked as a senior applications scientist, so I made sure that people understood what the xMAP INTELLIFLEX platform is about, what the features are, and how it’s different from our other platforms. I also ran basic training sessions and helped end users set up their assays. Now, I manage accounts in a territory, but I still do some applications work. I often visit new users and collect their feedback about the system.

Q: How does your team help drive improvements for the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Tomasz: Most changes in the system will be in the software rather than the hardware. We test new versions of the software, and we also see how our customers use it and get their feedback. We’ve seen improvements in the software since the launch — that’s the nature of software, it gets better and better over time.

Ronald: I talk to the people who use the instrument to collect their feedback. Some people are used to software from our legacy instruments, and they see that things are working differently with the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System. I send the feedback to the development team, and when there’s a software update, I check to make sure any issues have been resolved.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Ronald: My favorite feature is how the software makes it so easy to set up experiments and navigate through the system. My best tip for customers is to make sure you go through all the maintenance routines. They really make a difference in preventing issues.

Tomasz: One of my favorite features is the software module that allows users to run assays they have been running on our previous xMAP platforms without changing them. There is backwards compatibility between the xMAP INTELLIFLEX and previous systems so legacy instrument users can run their old assays and not experience any difference when they run them on this new platform. They’ll receive the same data output that they would have obtained with the older instrument. From the customer perspective, what I hear about most is the dual reporter feature. It’s giving people the ability to detect more features per analyte on a single microsphere. This is extremely powerful technology.

Check out this white paper to learn more about the xMAP INTELLIFLEX Reporter Signal Compatibility Study

Explore xMAP INTELLIFLEX >>

Become an xMAP INTELLIFLEX Insider

Find more details on future-forward system features such as the dual reporter, and discover how Luminex empowers researchers with the support of xMAP experts like Ronald and Tomasz:

  • White Paper: Dual Reporter Functionality of the xMAP INTELLIFLEX® DR-SE System
    Read now >>
  • JoVE Open Access Publication & Video: NMI Researchers Choose xMAP® Technology to Identify Exposure to Lyme Disease Causing Pathogens
    Get open access >>
  • Luminex Learning Sessions*: Take advantage of a comprehensive instrument, software, and assay development educational program, that is highly focused on ensuring you have the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to successfully use Luminex products in your lab
    Learn with Luminex >>
    *Currently offered only in our Luminex office in the Netherlands.
  • Blog: Inside INTELLIFLEX: SD&I
    Read now >>
  • Blog: Inside INTELLIFLEX: Design & Engineering Team
    Read now >>

Inside xMAP INTELLIFLEX®: R&D

By Gabby Mora

With the long and successful history of xMAP® Technology, cited in tens of thousands of peer-reviewed publications, the Luminex team puts a lot of thought and care into the instruments we design to support xMAP®-based investigations and ensure our solutions focus on your research needs.

The newest edition to our lineup, the xMAP INTELLIFLEX® System, not only offers the latest innovations — from a simple touchscreen interface to streamlined software — but it also doubles the amount of information users can generate with its unique dual-reporter feature. That’s a lot of multiplexing power!

To ensure that xMAP customers have the best possible experience with this system, we built a dedicated xMAP INTELLIFLEX team to support the instrument. From creating software to responding to technical support queries, our team includes Luminex staffers with a broad range of expertise.

To share how we support our customers, we’re introducing some team members in a short series of blog posts. Let’s get to know Tammy Hunter, senior project manager, and Nikki Torres-Avila, a senior software engineer in our Research & Development (R&D) group.

Q: What do you do to support the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Tammy: Most of what I have been doing is related to supporting the new software version 2.1 that includes new features for automation and compliance. I also dig into any pain points for customers and figure out how we can improve their experience.

Nikki: I’m a software developer and have worked with the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System since the product’s early stages. My main responsibility is to write code to enable the desired functionality. I also investigate any bugs and find the root cause before the software is released.

Q: How does your team help drive improvements for the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Nikki: We are working toward a common goal, but we all have different perspectives. For example, team members who focus on user experience examine the workflow and create scenarios involving a workflow that might not be ideal for a certain need, and we work to make it more robust. Ultimately, we want to create something that will benefit the user, and this highlights the importance of having a good team—one that is technically capable but also good people. If there’s a problem, everybody leaves their egos aside. We just look at the problem and devise a way to make it better.

Tammy: I support a cross-functional initiative to help ensure the best possible experience for xMAP INTELLIFLEX customers. When our entire team meets, anyone can mention an issue. This discussion keeps us informed on what’s occurring, and we make decisions and get to solutions right then and there. We also review metrics to see how what we’re doing is benefiting the long-term health of the system.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Tammy: The replay feature is really cool. It allows customers to take data from previously acquired plates, apply new parameters on them, and just hit go without having to redo an entire run. This prevents the waste of materials and allows work to be done much faster and more easily. I think it’s one of our most interesting features. Also, I love seeing how excited people are to work on this system and develop new assays on it.

Nikki: It’s a tool that you can see having an immediate benefit to society. Our customers can use it to develop new vaccines or to test for disease. It’s a cool technology that can help improve our health and lives.

Check out all the latest xMAP INTELLIFLEX features and capabilities brought to life by the R&D team

Explore xMAP INTELLIFLEX >>

Hear about recent innovations using the dual reporter feature:

  • On-Demand Presentation: Totus Medicines Develops a Pharmacodynamics Assay for TOS-358 with LuminexPLORE Lab and xMAP INTELLIFLEX® DR-SE
    Read now >>
  • On-Demand Webinar: Simultaneous detection of several phosphorylated and total proteins on the same bead in a single well (Thermo Fisher Scientific)
    Get open access >>
  • JoVE Open Access Publication & Video: Beyond Checkpoint Inhibitors: New Cancer Vaccine Candidate Shows Promising Preclinical Results (The Ohio State University)
    Get open access >>
  • JoVE Open Access Publication & Video: NMI Researchers Choose xMAP® Technology to Identify Exposure to Lyme Disease Causing Pathogens
    Get open access >>
  • Blog: Inside xMAP INTELLIFLEX®: Design & Engineering Team
    Get open access >>

Inside xMAP INTELLIFLEX®: Design & Engineering Team

By Gabby Mora

The xMAP INTELLIFLEX® is our newest xMAP® Technology platform, and it enables scientists to generate even more data from each reaction. We have created a dedicated team to support customers using this system, and in this blog series, we’re getting to know some of those team members for a closer look “Inside xMAP INTELLIFLEX®.”

First, we’ll introduce you to a few people on the design, transfer, and process engineering (DTPE) team, which includes manufacturing engineer and scientist Andrew Jameson and senior manufacturing engineer Safaa Rubeaay.

Q: What are your responsibilities at Luminex?

Andrew: We’re a bridge between R&D and manufacturing. R&D creates the instrument designs, and we ensure we can bring them into manufacturing in a way that can be successfully executed. We also incorporate process engineering if a problem arises and if we need to identify and address the root cause.

Q: How does DTPE contribute to the xMAP INTELLIFLEX team?

Andrew: The xMAP INTELLIFLEX System is a combination of machine plus xMAP® Technology, and my work involves the reagent side. Our users should have confidence that their results are reliable and actionable, and we work to ensure that happens.

Safaa: I’m the manufacturing engineer for the whole line, so my responsibilities include monitoring the process of the build and debugging any issue within the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System, from beginning to end. I’m also the point of contact for any issues that might arise in the field, and I help troubleshoot whether we need to change a part, change the design, add a new kit, or something else.

Q: How does DTPE drive improvements for the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Andrew: We are essentially the very first customers of the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System, as we run it daily and perform checks in the software, user interface, or any other element involving the system on a day-to-day basis. If we find something that doesn’t work as well as we’d like, we direct that back to our development group to see how it can be addressed.

Safaa: I work with our suppliers to control the elements and components within the device when we acquire new software, which sometimes requires changing parts or implementing the new software within a component. Our team also tests and implements any changes and follows up to see how everything functions in the field.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System?

Andrew: I like the UI (user interface) design and the general design philosophy that’s gone into it which makes it more internationally usable. This system is less reliant on text and has easy-to-read button functionality and menu setup.

Safaa: This is a great device that will save users lots of time. You can run tests for so many different things with one click and get so much information to analyze from each sample.

 

Learn how xMAP INTELLIFLEX can help streamline your workflow and optimize your data analysis

Explore xMAP INTELLIFLEX >>

For a deeper dive into unique system features and how other researchers are tapping into the technology, check out these resources:

  • White Paper: Dual Reporter Functionality of the xMAP INTELLIFLEX® DR-SE System
    Read now >>
  • JoVE Open Access Publication & Video: Beyond Checkpoint Inhibitors: New Cancer Vaccine Candidate Shows Promising Preclinical Results (The Ohio State University)
    Get open access >>
  • JoVE Open Access Publication & Video: NMI Researchers Choose xMAP® Technology to Identify Exposure to Lyme Disease Causing Pathogens
    Get open access >>

Video: Oncimmune Scientists Decode Autoantibody Reactome Using xMAP® Technology

By Lauren Whitman

See how this service company runs high-throughput queries of its antigen library for R&D customers

At Oncimmune, scientists have developed one of the largest commercially available antigen libraries—spanning over 9,000 antigens and covering more than 95% of human antigens. As a precision medicine company specializing in examining immune interactions through the autoantibody profile, it is thanks to their ImmunoINSIGHTSTM platform that Oncimmune discovers and converts autoantibodies into actionable biomarkers, offering applications across immuno-oncology, autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, and neuroscience.

Moreover, Oncimmune enables biotech, biopharma, and contract research organizations (CROs) to harness these autoantibody biomarkers for early-stage discovery, mechanism of action validation, patient stratification in clinical trials, and for predicting treatment response or adverse events. In addition, the technology may also be used for discovering “clinically silent” autoantibodies for early disease detection.

Analyze thousands of antigens across thousands of samples using xMAP® Technology

The company has demonstrated success in profiling autoimmune signatures of patients for eight of the top 15 global pharma companies for de-risking key assets.

To maximize high-throughput studies, the Oncimmune team utilizes xMAP Technology. This approach allows them to analyze thousands of antigens across hundreds or thousands of samples using low sample volume (less than 50 μl).

 

In the Oncimmune partner spotlight video, the world-class scientific team introduces their impressive facility and discusses how xMAP Technology has positively impacted their work.

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Here at Luminex, we are truly inspired by how Oncimmune has deployed the xMAP platform at scale. We encourage you to learn more about the great work they accomplish.

Watch more partner spotlight videos and learn the benefits of becoming a Luminex partner

Learn More >>

Just Bead It!

By: Stephen Angeloni, PhD, Sr. Field Application Scientist, Luminex

From streamlining your workflow to general troubleshooting, learn the benefits and the mystery behind xMAP® Microspheres

Curious about the technology driving your life science testing processes? Discover the unique features of our bead products with their ability to enhance and simplify your workflow, revolutionizing how you perform multi-analyte analysis.

The key to simplifying how you perform efficient multi-analyte analysis is with our xMAP® microspheres (aka beads). xMAP® beads make our technology a one-of-a-kind platform. So, what are they? xMAP beads come in two forms:

  1. MicroPlex® beads are polystyrene particles with a uniform diameter of 5.6 µm.
  2. MagPlex® beads are 6.5 µm in diameter. MagPlex beads are derived from the standard polystyrene microspheres used to make MicroPlex beads but are coated with iron to provide them with superparamagnetic particle-like characteristics.

Both bead types are coated with carboxyl groups allowing proteins or amine modified oligos to be coupled to the beads for the development of different proteomic or nucleic acid applications. The small size and density of both bead types allow the beads to stay in suspension resulting in fast and more complete interactions with analytes in samples.

Streamline your multiplex workflow with xMAP beads

MicroPlex beads are internally dyed with different concentrations of two dyes, enabling Luminex to make 100 different types of beads with slightly different colors.

MagPlex beads are internally dyed with different concentrations of up to three dyes, enabling Luminex to make 500 distinctly colored bead sets. The superparamagnetic properties of MagPlex beads allow them to move quickly in a magnetic field and re-suspend easily upon magnetic field removal. This eliminates the need for centrifugation or filtration steps during assay development and processing.

With both bead types, the power of multiplexing allows the development of assays that require less sample and fewer reagents to yield more data faster and with greater accuracy. However, while the beads are stable and reliable, certain care should be taken when using them.

Keeping your microspheres protected from cumulative light exposure

Microspheres are dyed when placed in an organic solution containing two or three fluorescent dyes. In this organic solution, the microspheres swell, allowing the dyes to diffuse into the microsphere. When the microspheres are washed, they shrink to their original size as the dyes become trapped within the microsphere. This enables Luminex to make 500 different variations of beads with each having a unique color. Each batch is assigned a number from 1 to 500, which serves to identify a bead’s region or bead ID. When the dyes are excited by the red laser of an xMAP system, each bead can be identified by the different emission peaks of the dye combination it contains. Each instrument can identify all 100 MicroPlex beads but only the FLEXMAP 3D® and xMAP INTELLIFLEX® can read all 500 regions.

The three dyes used for bead identification are light-sensitive, meaning that four to six hours of intense cumulative light exposure may result in misclassification where beads start collecting outside their designated regions on the bead map. Photobleaching of the internal dyes is irreversible, and microspheres must be discarded if this occurs. Therefore, you should always protect xMAP beads from prolonged light exposure during storage and incubations in assays.

How the bead map or doublet discriminator can benefit your routine troubleshooting

While using an xMAP flow-based instrument, how the microspheres appear in their regions on the bead map can reveal if the assay is running properly or having issues. For example, if the microspheres appear as a diagonal streak from lower left to upper right through its assigned region (see symptom list below), this may be a sign of agglutination (or the clumping) of the beads. The effect of agglutination may also be seen on the doublet discriminator (DD) plot where a peak to the right of the upper gate appears.

There are several causes for bead clumping, such as the cross-linking of beads during coupling (when highly hydrophobic molecules adhere to the beads), if the beads were not thoroughly vortexed and/or sonicated before assay use, or the need to include detergents and blocking agents in the bead storage and assay buffers.

If you are seeing issues with bead classification (not correctly identifying the beads in your assay), it is best to (1) ensure you selected the correct bead region in the software’s protocol, and (2) confirm the system had a successful calibration/verification to ensure the system is functioning properly.

You can use the xMAP verification microspheres to check the success of the system calibration. If there is a problem with your kit results, ensuring the system has passed calibration and verification can help you determine if the problem is a hardware issue. You may also include MagPlex® Monitoring Microspheres in your assay’s bead mix, which are magnetic polystyrene beads that aid in monitoring assay and instrument performance. These beads can help you troubleshoot if it is an assay or instrument issue that is the cause of unexpected results with median fluorescent intensity (MFI) and bead classification. Below are some additional examples and tips that can be applied to troubleshooting the Luminex® 200™, FLEXMAP 3D®, and xMAP INTELLIFLEX instruments:

Troubleshooting Acquisition Problems

Note that while these images may appear different in xPONENT® and xMAP INTELLIFLEX® software, the concepts of how they appear, and the problems and solutions they represent, are still the same.

 

Symptom Possible Problem Solution
xMAP® microspheres properly classified.

 Not a problem. No solution is required
xMAP® microspheres classify as too high.

 You may be using photobleached calibration microspheres. Replace the calibration microspheres with a fresh batch if due to calibration beads. To avoid photobleaching, protect your microspheres from light.
xMAP® microspheres hit the lower right region.

 You may be using photobleached xMAP® microspheres. Replace the microspheres with a fresh batch. To avoid photobleaching, protect your microspheres from light.
Beads appear scattered.

 There is air in the system. Verify sample probe height. Run three Prime commands, two Alcohol Flush commands, and then run three Wash commands with distilled water.
Beads appear scattered.

 The sheath fluid is empty. Ensure there is sheath fluid in the sheath container. Prime the system until all air is out of the system.
Microspheres appear as a long diagonal line.

 The xMAP® microspheres have agglutinated. Add additional detergent to the assay buffer. For example, add 0.2% to 0.1% Tween-20, Triton X100, or SDS.
Microspheres appear in an arrowhead pattern.

 The assay buffer or solvent is incompatible. Contact Luminex Technical Support for a list of incompatible solvents. If the solvent you are using is listed, switch solvents.
Microspheres appear in an arrowhead pattern.

 You are using incompatible sheath fluid. Use only xMAP® Sheath Fluid PLUS for your xMAP® flow-based instruments. Other fluids may cause damage and may void your warranty.

Want to learn more about how to develop your own xMAP assay? Check out the xMAP Cookbook to learn the best practices.

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Need an xMAP assay but don’t have time, bandwidth, or resources? Trust our experts in the LuminexPLORE Lab to do the work for you!

Meet the experts

About the Author

Stephen Angeloni, PhD, Sr. Field Application Scientist, Luminex

Dr. Angeloni received his PhD in Biochemistry from Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State University. While he has been at Luminex for 12 years, before joining Luminex he had over 30 years of research and industry experience with the development of a wide variety of biochemical, genetic, proteomic, immunology, microscopy, cellular and molecular biology assays. These technologies were applied to studying genetic and environmental factors contributing to the susceptibility or resistance to a number of infectious and non-infectious diseases. This includes studies on disease mechanisms or treatments in the areas of endocrinology, cancer, obesity, diabetes and the development of DNA vaccines. These research efforts employed cellular, mouse and non-human primate model systems. This diversified experience has been applied to developing and supporting commercial applications for cellular genetic engineering, bioinformatic data analysis as well the development of genomic and proteomic assay platforms for research and diagnostics. This experience is now available for supporting the development of several applications on the Luminex xMAP platform.

AAPS PharmSci 360 2023: Making Strides to Tackle Complexity in Drug Development

By Dominic Andrada

Luminex was honored to participate in the 2023 AAPS PharmSci 360 conference in Orlando, Florida, where we rolled out our new redesigned booth as a Diasorin company, and we were represented by research partners that included MilliporeSigma and Charles River Laboratories. Renowned for its all-encompassing approach, every autumn the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) holds the conference as one of the key events to share and exchange information for producing better therapeutics.

Providing the latest advances in pharmaceutical sciences

The pharmaceutical industry is ever-evolving, with breakthroughs in science and technology driving constant advancements to develop more efficacious drugs that have greater safety and are manufactured with ever-improving techniques. The 2023 event covered the entire spectrum of pharmaceutical sciences, from drug discovery and development to regulatory sciences, manufacturing and quality control, as it focused on the following five tracks: Discovery and Basic Research, Preclinical and Translational Sciences, Bioanalytics, Manufacturing and Analytical Characterization, and Formulation and Delivery.

The landscape of various biomarkers in clinical drug development

Among the many interesting scientific sessions, workshops, and keynote presentations was Lindsay King from Pfizer presenting his keynote, “Biomarker Selection and Utility in Clinical Drug Development Today: Workhorses and Unicorns,” which addressed the landscape of different biomarkers in clinical drug development and highlighted that the utility of a given biomarker is dictated by the context of its use (COU), whether as a safety biomarker or to delineate the mechanism of action for a disease.

Another interesting keynote was by professor Jashvant Unadkat, PhD, titled, “Novel Tools and Insights into Predicting Systemic and Tissue Drug Concentrations in Humans Including Special Populations,” where he discussed his work from the Department of Pharmaceutics at the University of Washington regarding drug transporters using quantitative targeted proteomics and traditional PK modeling studies.

Utilizing xMAP® Technology across various disciplines in drug development

Furthermore, several attendees visited the Luminex booth to ask about our partners’ new immunoassays and the xMAP INTELLIFLEX® System. Hearing their insights into how they use xMAP® Technology across disciplines in drug development—from pre-clinical stages to monitoring safety in human clinical trials— proved invaluable, offering practical knowledge and hands-on experiences applicable in real-world scenarios.

xMAP Technology enables other biotechnology companies

We also enjoyed hearing from those representing various biotech companies, including several startups, that rely on xMAP Technology to develop and deliver better products. For example, Ira Herman at Precision Healing spoke about using xMAP assays to evaluate wounds that don’t heal easily. By testing samples of wound exudate with custom 15-plex and 27-plex assays developed with the LuminexPLORE Lab team, the company aims to improve and personalize healing treatments for challenging wounds.

This year’s PharmSci 360 brought together experts from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies to address the complex challenges in drug development, in addition to also allowing Luminex customers to connect with us and share how they continue to utilize the versatility of xMAP Technology to overcome these complex endeavors. For both seasoned professionals and budding scientists, the conference provided a platform for continuous learning and skill development.

Learn how LuminexPLORE Lab custom assay services can help your endeavors

To learn more about using xMAP Technology in your next drug discovery or development project, check out our LuminexPLORE Lab. Our expert team of application scientists specializes in immunoassay and genomic assay development, leveraging industry-leading xMAP® and xTAG® technologies to support a broad range of drug development disciplines.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Learn more about LuminexPLORE Lab!

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At xMAP® Connect Atlanta, Customers Highlighted the Benefits of Multiplexing Across Multiple Applications

From academic to commercial, using their own developed assays or LuminexPLORE Lab services, xMAP® end users showcased a wealth of applications for multiplex assays

By: Lauren Whitman

At our most recent xMAP® Connect event in Atlanta, GA., we had the great privilege of hearing from xMAP end users about how Luminex’s xMAP® Technology is making a difference in their research and development. We’d like to thank everyone who attended, and for those who couldn’t be there in person, we’ve summarized some of the event highlights.

The year in review

Kicking off the day was our own Sherry Dunbar, Senior Director of Global Scientific Affairs Programs, with a comprehensive review of five notable publications citing xMAP Technology in 2023, representing the breadth of the technology used across various applications. In the first three quarters of the year, there were more than 2,500 papers citing our technology — contributing to a total of more than 70,000 papers since xMAP Technology was first commercialized. Dr. Dunbar’s presentation focused on the following paper topics:

Optimizing cytokine analysis with xMAP Technology

From the University of Minnesota, Laura Hocum Stone spoke about work performed in the Preclinical Research Center to optimize the value of testing on animal models for preclinical trials. Her presentation focused on how her team is conducting cytokine analysis to generate accurate, reliable data from nonhuman primates. Cytokines are easily accessed in circulating fluids and can be studied in low sample volumes, improving conditions for animals in these important trials. They evaluated commercially available cytokine assays, selecting an xMAP-based option with an optimized protocol that yielded excellent results.

Evaluating SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious diseases

We also heard about several exciting efforts related to infectious diseases. Mukesh Kumar from Georgia State University spoke about using xMAP cytokine and chemokine assays to study neuroinflammation from infections of COVID-19, Zika, Powassan virus, and more. The approach works well with a variety of sample types and generates rapid results from low-volume samples. In another presentation, Ian Davis from the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases reported on the development of an assay for the rapid detection of mpox virus antigen. The two clade-specific xMAP-based assays were validated, and the team hopes to translate them to lateral-flow format in the future. In one more infectious disease presentation, Dylan George from the University of Nebraska Medical Center described a project designed to measure the humoral response to SARS-CoV-2. The resulting HumorX test is economical, reliable, and easy to use for community screening based on fingerstick blood samples.

xMAP Technology enables other biotechnology companies

We also enjoyed hearing from those representing various biotech companies, including several startups, that rely on xMAP Technology to develop and deliver better products. For example, Ira Herman at Precision Healing spoke about using xMAP assays to evaluate wounds that don’t heal easily. By testing samples of wound exudate with custom 15-plex and 27-plex assays developed with the LuminexPLORE Lab team, the company aims to improve and personalize healing treatments for challenging wounds.

Another startup, EmitBio, is developing a handheld medical device for at-home treatment of respiratory infections that uses specific light wavelengths to eliminate pathogens. Jacob Kocher described how the company used xMAP-based assays to study cytokine response, and then used that data to prioritize or rule out certain wavelengths (for instance, they found that 425 nm light works broadly against variants of SARS-CoV-2).

In another presentation, William Shea from ImmunoProfile (a Luminex partner) spoke about the development of an xMAP assay designed for rapid, cost-effective antibody status for 11 different diseases to help people understand their immunization status and history. The assay, which has performed well in validation studies, is designed to be run from fingerpick samples that can be collected at home by customers and mailed to the lab for analysis.

At Totus Medicines, xMAP Technology is being used to support a pharmacodynamics assay to validate the clinical performance of a molecule designed to inhibit PI3Ka, one of the most mutated oncogenes. Raymond Mak described working with the LuminexPLORE Lab to convert assays originally developed with western blot technology to a dual-reporter xMAP assay for the xMAP INTELLIFLEX DR-SE System that would measure the percentage of PI3Kα that bound to the candidate drug.

Finally, Jason Liggett from New Day Diagnostics (a Luminex partner formerly known as EDP Biotech) spoke about his company’s goal of increasing compliance with colon cancer screening, and how a blood-based test could accomplish that. The company developed ColoPlex™, an xMAP-based assay covering 16 serological protein biomarkers and validated it in a patient cohort of nearly 2,000 samples. The assay can be paired with standard stool-based immunochemical tests to provide more reliable early-stage detection of colon cancers.

At all our xMAP Connect events globally, we find ourselves inspired by the creativity with which scientists deploy our multiplexing technology, and the Atlanta meeting was no exception. We congratulate all our speakers on their terrific work!

COMING SOON!

The Atlanta presentations will be available for your on-demand viewing on our website in early 2024. Keep an eye on your inbox for details! In addition, our team is currently hard at work planning the next xMAP Connect meeting in 2024, so be sure to regularly check our website for updates!

In the meantime, stay in the loop with Luminex and the multiplexing community throughout the year with these helpful resources available at your fingertips:

xMAP Insights Magazine

Don’t Miss the Latest Issue of xMAP® Insights Magazine

Articles include a wealth of tips for deploying xMAP® Technology to analyze proteins and nucleic acids

By: Lauren Whitman

We’re delighted to share the latest edition of xMAP® Insights magazine, a valuable resource for xMAP users around the world to keep up with the latest tips and tricks, technology capabilities, and commercially available assays. In this issue, we delve into the realm of biomarker discovery — an essential domain where the ability to analyze a vast array of analytes within each sample is paramount. Without the bead-based xMAP multiplexing platform, biomarker discovery would prove significantly more daunting, hindering progress in this vital field.

One article explores the rise of biologics for patients with immune-related diseases — therapies that have been enabled by a deeper understanding of the immune response. Of course, scientists continue to make breakthrough discoveries about our immune systems using multiplex xMAP immunoassays, which are beneficial in developing and validating new biologics. If you’re pursuing this kind of research, check out the cytokine panels from our Licensed Technologies partners.

The many multiplexing advancements of Luminex partners

We also have great content contributed by some of our Licensed Technologies partners. Here’s a quick look at the topics:

  • Bio-Rad—Apolipoproteins as biomarkers for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer risk
  • Bio-Techne—Protein biomarkers offer a new approach to bladder cancer testing
  • MilliporeSigma—How to choose an immunoassay platform, from multiplexing to software and services
  • Thermo Fisher Scientific—Unified, high-throughput workflows for RNA and protein analysis

Benefits of customizing your own assay

And if you’re encountering difficulties during assay development, our custom assay group at LuminexPLORE Lab is here to help. xMAP Insights magazine includes an article about why it can be important and advantageous to develop your own assay. Whether it’s about optimization for your specific sample type or supply chain management, there are many benefits to developing your own assay, and our LuminexPLORE Lab team can help you meet your specific research goals, allowing you to save time.

Finally, this xMAP Insights issue includes a useful how-to article focused on grant writing, with tips to make your next proposal shine. With an emphasis on R01 grants, the article walks you through planning and developing an application, refining your proposal, and other various elements. We hope this helps you score your next grant to support xMAP-based research!

Read the xMAP Insights magazine here

Beyond Checkpoint Inhibitors: New Cancer Vaccine Candidate Shows Promising Preclinical Results

At the Ohio State University, scientists are using xMAP® Technology to evaluate the molecular effects of this candidate therapy

Researchers at Ohio State University are making impressive progress toward a cancer vaccine that could potentially be used to treat a broad range of cancers. As a key part of their efforts, they deployed the xMAP INTELLIFLEX® System to streamline testing for key molecular interactions and antibody response related to the treatment.

In a new open-access paper published in JoVE, authors Jay Overholser, Linlin Guo, and Pravin Kaumaya describe their candidate cancer vaccine and detail the multiplex immunoassay testing protocol they developed. “Over the past 30 years, Dr. Kaumaya’s laboratory has developed peptide cancer vaccines and peptide mimic-related agents for cancer therapy, some of which are in ongoing clinical trials,” they note.

Learn the advantages of xMAP Technology over ELISA

Among the lab’s latest candidates is the B-cell peptide epitope cancer vaccine known as PDL1-Vaxx, which is designed to block the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. The team believes this approach could one day help patients whose cancers do not respond to standard checkpoint monoclonal antibody immunotherapies. “Preclinical testing has indicated that [PDL1-Vaxx] effectively stimulates highly immunogenic antibodies in animals,” the researchers report. “Animals immunized with PDL1-Vaxx show reduced tumor burden and extended survival rates in various animal cancer models.”

Initially, the team assessed the effects of the vaccine candidate using two separate ELISA tests to check for inhibition of the PD1/PD-L1 interaction. But the bead-based xMAP approach offered several advantages, including improved assay sensitivity and a broader dynamic range due to its fluorescence rather than the colorimetric ELISA technique. The xMAP reaction occurs in a fluid suspension, eliminating the binding issues that can arise when proteins must be immobilized on a substrate.

xMAP Technology: achieving more in less time and with less sample volume

xMAP Technology also offers multiplexing capabilities that cannot be achieved with ELISAs. In this project, researchers were able to generate the information from both ELISA assays in a single xMAP reaction, saving both time and sample volume. In addition, more data can be produced thanks to a feature unique to the xMAP INTELLIFLEX System: its dual-reporter function. This enables users to acquire data about two parameters per target protein or nucleic acid at once.

In this study, the team compared their new xMAP assay results to their original ELISA tests, finding a direct correlation between them. “The assay was able to precisely quantify the inhibition of the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction by four unique polyclonal antibodies, generated against the rhPD-L1 vaccine peptides, that are being explored as potential cancer therapeutic agents,” the researchers note.

From vaccine candidate to clinical trial using xMAP Technology

With successful results from the new xMAP-based assay, the researchers now hope to move their cancer vaccine candidate into clinical trials to determine its performance as a potential new immunotherapy.

To learn more, check out the helpful protocol video accompanying the JoVE paper.

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Explore the capabilities of multiplexing. Learn more about the technology that is helping scientists progress towards a newer cancer vaccine.

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