Video: Take a Look Inside Our New LuminexPLORE Custom Services Lab

Watch our trusted team of experts in action as they optimize genomic and proteomic assays

We at Luminex launched our first custom service program several years ago to help clients accelerate the development of new assays based on our xMAP® Technology to support a broad range of scientific research applications. After receiving such high demand for these services, we hired a larger team of specialists and opened the doors to a brand-new custom assay development facility—the LuminexPLORE Lab.

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Now, our trusty team of multiplex testing experts can optimize and develop complex genomic and proteomic assays to advance your projects and get to market faster. Through our custom services program, we can help you maximize productivity and stay competitive in a crowded and ever-evolving market. We build and optimize multiplex assays based on xMAP Technology to generate reliable answers quickly, with minimal sample volume needed.

Our experts can assist with almost any multiplexing project. Our team has 25 years of experience in research areas ranging from biomarkers and cancer to immunology and toxicity, and we have backgrounds in academia as well as industry. Here are the services we perform most frequently:

  • Antibody Pair Screening
  • Custom Coupling
  • Sample Testing
  • Assay Development
  • Assay Optimization
  • Assay Conversion
  • Add-On Assay Validation Options:
    • Precision (Intra and Inter)
    • Sensitivity (LoD)
    • Cross-Reactivity
    • Reagent Lot-to-Lot Testing
    • Reagent Scale-Up

To see the lab in action, check out the video on the LuminexPLORE Lab homepage. The five-minute video offers an inside look at the innovative work in our BSL-2 facility, outfitted with all of the xMAP Technology platforms, so we can help customers save time, sample, and cost with the same instruments they’re most comfortable utilizing. You’ll find a contact form at the bottom of the webpage—don’t hesitate to reach out and ask how we can help with your next project!

These products are for Research Use Only (RUO). Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Please contact Luminex at support@luminexcorp.com to obtain the appropriate product information for your country of residence.

Want more information? Fill out the form below to be contacted by one of our specialists.


Berlin Laboratory Incorporates Gut Microbiome Test Based on xMAP® Technology

In a new video, IMD scientists introduce their new microbiome laboratory

During the past two decades, scientists in the genomics community have made remarkable progress mapping the interactions between humans and the complex communities of microbes that live both in and on us. The gut microbiome, associated with conditions ranging from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to diabetes, has been of particular interest to clinical researchers.

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The GA-map® Dysbiosis Test

Luminex partner Genetic Analysis, a pioneering diagnostics company based in Norway, developed the GA-map® Dysbiosis Test, a CE-marked assay designed to detect clinically relevant bacterial species to help healthcare professionals understand the gut microbiome profile of their patients. This test serves patients with IBD, irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut syndrome, and other gastrointestinal issues. Genetic Analysis selected xMAP® Technology as the foundation for this highly multiplexed test, which can be run in any standard PCR laboratory.

Presently, the test has been implemented at the Institute for Medical Diagnostics Berlin (IMD), which is more than just a standard PCR lab. With more than 400 employees, IMD offers a broad range of laboratory services in molecular diagnostics, microbiology, and transfusion medicine. Recently, IMD added to those services by implementing the GA-map Dysbiosis Test as part of its new microbiome lab. The organization is now able to offer gut microbiome testing to customers in Germany and throughout Europe.

In a statement announcing the news earlier this year, IMD Medical Director Volker von Baehr said, “The GA-map Dysbiosis Test is measuring the abundance of clinically relevant key bacteria in relation to a clinically defined, healthy, normal population. This is a major difference from other sequencing methods where each user must establish their own reference ranges for healthy and diseased cohorts.”

IMD and its high-throughput diagnostic testing facility using Multiplexing Technology

In a new video, Von Baehr and his colleagues at IMD describe their new microbiome lab as well as the clinical importance of gut microbiome testing. The brief video introduces IMD and its high-throughput diagnostic testing facility before emphasizing how their novel microbiome testing capabilities provide a more holistic view of each patient’s health. IMD scientists note that the GA-map Dysbiosis Test is particularly important because a majority of gut bacteria cannot be grown in culture, rendering conventional approaches infeasible. The test contains 48 probes that make it possible to detect more than 300 different species simultaneously in a single run.

Multiplexing technology provides the multiplicity essential to characterizing microbiome communities efficiently and effectively. Implementation of this multiplexed test helps drive better patient outcomes by providing a greater degree of specificity and accuracy in diagnosing GI problems.

Powering Microbiome Innovation using Luminex xMAP® Multiplexing Technology:

[arve url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFI9PlNkmGw” hide_title=”yes” /]

For clinical laboratories in North America, the GA-map® Dysbiosis Test Lx is available as a research use only assay from Eagle Biosciences

Discover the Possibilities

Lab Automation: Scaling xMAP® Assays for High-Throughput Applications

Experts from Thermo Fisher Scientific give a glimpse into automated workflows when analyzing gene and protein expression

For many researchers who need the high-throughput enabled by bead-based Thermo Fisher Scientific product managers Stefan Jellbauer and Bani Suri spoke about using xMAP assays in their automated workflows for a truly high-throughput gene and protein analysis pipeline while running 96-well or 384-well plates.

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Going well beyond increased throughput

“We like to think of automation as a journey,” Suri said. For some scientists, it means adding a single robot to load samples. For others, it can mean automating an entire workflow or laboratory. No matter which option users take, automation offers a broad range of benefits. “Automation goes well beyond increasing throughput,” she added. Other advantages include minimizing hands-on time, reducing errors, improving reproducibility, and enabling data integration.

Thermo Fisher, a Luminex partner, has designed and commercialized multiple assays using xMAP Technology. In this presentation, Jellbauer and Suri focused on two assays specifically: the Invitrogen™ ProcartaPlex™ and QuantiGene™ Plex, which are multiplex assays designed for the analysis of up to 80 proteins or genes, respectively. Both can be paired in a streamlined workflow to generate both protein and gene expression data for a sample or set of samples using the same xMAP reader. In one example, Jellbauer explained how this approach was used to measure IL-8 and MCP-1 signals with the MAP INTELLIFLEX® System.

Automation reduces the time to results and it increases overall efficiency

According to Jellbauer, this kind of capacity is a good fit for applications such as high-throughput screening, where analyzing thousands of compounds might require processing hundreds of thousands of wells. In another example, he showed how one user applied this approach when analyzing nearly 5,000 samples in 3D cell culture. Having a multiplex screen “was really helpful to reach their goals,” he said. In general, automation reduces the time to results and it increases overall efficiency. Paired with xMAP-based assays, an automated approach allows researchers to generate a wealth of useful data.

For both the protein and gene expression analysis assays, Thermo Fisher offers a free, customizable data analysis tool to help researchers review and understand their results.

Learn more about xMAP-based assays offered by Thermo Fisher, or check out Luminex’s Kit Finder tool to see a list of all commercially available xMAP assays.:

Thermo Fisher xMAP-based Assays ®</sup> Technology-Based Multiplex Assays” href=”/?wpdmdl=48944″>Learn How Automation can be Implemented in Your Lab

  • ® Assay Automation: 4 Tips Before You Get Started” href=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjyJlZZBHDY”>xMAP® Assay Automation: 4 Tips Before You Get Started [Video]
  • ® Systems” href=”https://asm.org/Articles/Policy/2022/May-2022/VALID-Act”>xMAP INTELLIFLEX® Systems [Webpage]

    • Beyond Academia: Careers for Scientists in Industry

    In a recent presentation, LuminexPLORE Lab scientist Frank Medina spoke about making the leap from an academic lab to industry

    The path to science usually begins in academia, but it need not end there. For many scientists, there is considerable interest in venturing beyond the academic lab once their educational requirements have been met.

    But most undergraduate and graduate scientific programs share a key trait: a lack of workshops, talks, and other information about career opportunities outside academia. The possibilities are virtually endless, yet they remain invisible to many researchers.

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    Exploring the many opportunities beyond the traditional lab

    This is unfortunate because there are many wonderful career options for scientists. From pharmaceutical research to policy positions, from IP law to technical writing, there are countless positions that can be interesting and rewarding for those with a scientific background.

    In a recent presentation, Luminex’s Frank Medina spoke about his transition from academia to industry. After completing his postdoc in protein science, he began searching for opportunities beyond the traditional lab. He found a great fit at our ® technology overview” href=”/xmap-technology/#overview” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>xMAP® Technology.

    As a scientist in the service lab, Dr. Medina enjoys the intellectual stimulation of his research projects, yet he also gets to see how his accomplishments have an immediate impact on clients’ work.

    Focusing on education and interests is key to finding one’s career path

    While the many career choices can be daunting, Dr. Medina recommends focusing on roles that fit one’s education and interests. In particular, he urges scientists to narrow their focus to career paths where they will enjoy those tasks they’ll be doing each day.

    Dr. Medina also walked through several scientist-friendly career paths here at Luminex, many of which are broadly applicable across companies in the biotech industry. They include assay development, R∓D, applications support, sales, and marketing. Each offers its own benefits, such as plenty of travel for applications roles and a creative outlet in marketing. Check out our careers page to learn more.

    There are also plenty of other resources to help scientists learn about careers beyond academia. Here are a few places to start:

    Now that he’s successfully made the leap to industry, Dr. Medina longs to help other scientists explore the full career universe for themselves.

    Watch the full presentation here:

    [arve url=”https://youtu.be/C4w7FVC1i_c” hide_title=”yes” /]

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    AMLI 2022: Novel Assays for Clinical Immunology and Research

    Multiplexing can streamline tests for food allergies, autoimmune diseases, and more

    With the fall conference season already gearing up, we can’t help but reflect on the summer events we attended over these past few months. Most recently, Luminex representatives attended the annual meeting held by the Association of Medical Laboratory Immunologists (AMLI), which never fails to update attendees about news of the latest innovations and issues facing the diagnostic immunology field.

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    Once again, the VALID Act is center stage

    AMLI 2022, held in Salt Lake City, brought together a community of healthcare providers, lab directors, clinical scientists, and commercial diagnostic developers for thoughtful dialogue and discussions about new breakthroughs. Once again, as it had been for clinical chemistry experts attending AACC 2022, the VALID (Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development) Act proved to be a considerable concern within the diagnostic immunology community. There is apprehension across clinical laboratories about how this bill could affect laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) if voted into law. While tasking the FDA with LDT regulation has always been a hot-button issue among clinical lab professionals, there is great awareness of the pivotal role LDTs played in allowing healthcare teams to care for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. AMLI attendees reaffirmed the need to ensure that patient care is always prioritized.

    Many clinical lab users of Luminex assay platforms prefer the flexibility of creating their own LDTs based on Bio-Rad Laboratories hosted a seminar about HIV diagnostics featuring their xMAP-based multiplexed kit for HIV antigen and antibody detection. Thermo Fisher Scientific also gave a presentation about autoimmunity and data-driven approaches for analysis.

    Of course, we would like to thank all the AMLI attendees who took time out of their busy event schedule to connect with us at our booth in the exhibit hall. We were excited to see so many researchers interested in learning more about xMAP multiplexing technology, as well as Luminex’s ability to support and streamline diagnostic and research needs within immunology using exponential speed and unmatched accuracy.

    Learn more about our xMAP applications or check out our Kit Finder portal to see an evergrowing collection of available xMAP-based kits:

    xMAP® Assays Reveal More About Immune Response than Traditional Vaccine ELISAs

  • When to Launch an LDT: Key Factors to Consider
  • Development of a sensitive and specific xMAP assay for detection of antibodies against infectious laryngotracheitis and bronchitis viruses
  • ASM Submits Concerns On VALID Act

    • AACC 2022: A Treat to Reconnect with the Laboratory Community

    This year’s topics of interest included the VALID Act, GI testing, and dual-channel multiplexing technology.

    Each summer at Luminex, we look forward to the annual meeting of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC). This year’s event at the massive McCormick Place venue in Chicago didn’t disappoint; it was a much-needed opportunity for Luminex representatives to reconnect with the laboratory community and share new ideas, discuss important issues such as the looming VALID Act, and survey the latest advancements in laboratory technology.

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    This year’s features

    The meeting this year featured more than 275 expert speakers and an abundance of excellent educational opportunities for attendees. While much of the excitement among participants centered around the stellar sessions, we also noticed a great deal of enthusiasm about the community’s revived ability to meet at an in-person event. Networking with others in the clinical lab community is a major reason many participate in AACC each year, and it seemed attendees were eager to catch up, with attendance at post-session mixers and within the exhibit hall reaching nearly pre-pandemic levels.

    The VALID Act

    Naturally, the VALID Act was the subject of much discussion and at least one popular session. The bill has been working its way through Congress for several years now, and at AACC, there were experts on hand to discuss how the latest iteration of the legislation would affect laboratory-developed tests (LDTs) by requiring FDA oversight. We at Luminex are maintaining a close eye on this legislation since many of our customers design their own LDTs using our testing platforms.

    Connecting through education

    Other notable sessions covered a broad range of new technologies and updated approaches to clinical testing, particularly for improving diagnosis of GI-related conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and celiac disease. Our parent company, DiaSorin, sponsored an educational workshop about primary aldosteronism, a rare condition that causes hypertension and for which there are highly effective treatments when a diagnosis is possible.

    Poster presentations elevate xMAP® Technology

    There were several posters presenting work using Luminex xMAP’s multiplexing technology. Key topics included developing a homebrew assay for reliably quantifying vaccine-induced immune responses, and a method comparison for detecting multiple biomarkers for classification of antiphospholipid syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. A popular presentation was the poster from Jeff Borgia’s lab at Rush University, identifying novel autoantibody biomarkers for use in lung cancer screening with a homebrew assay in companion diagnostics.

    Presenting the xMAP INTELLIFLEX®

    We were also honored by the tremendous interest in

    Discover the dual-channel xMAP INTELLIFLEX® System.

    Many stopped by our booth to learn more about the latest generation of xMAP Technology instruments.

    ® System Will Empower Your Research” href=”/blog/5-ways-the-new-xmap-intelliflex-system-will-empower-your-research/”>5 Ways the New xMAP INTELLIFLEX® System Will Empower Your Research [Blog]

  • xMAP Technology: Applications in Detection of Pathogens [Publication]

    • Utility of xMAP For Multiplex Testing, Suspected Allergy, and Potential Cross-Reactivities in Food Samples (Food Testing)

    A game changer: multiplex technology enables scientists to detect multiple food allergens simultaneously within a single well. One run, one sample.

    According to the World Allergy Organization, allergic diseases are among the most prevalent diseases worldwide, and the burden of these diseases continues to increase. Fortunately, there are several methods that aid diagnosis including skin-prick testing and blood tests that evaluate IgE sensitization to specific allergens, also known as allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) blood tests. While the only way to truly diagnose a food allergy is to conduct an oral food challenge, there are drawbacks to this method: it is time consuming, labor intensive, and poses potential risk to patients’ health. Either way, once an individual knows they have an allergy to a particular food, they can choose to remove that food from their diet or limit its consumption.

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    Food labeling highlights an unmet need: a practical way to test a single sample for multiple allergens

    Food labels are an important tool for informing individuals of the presence of potential allergens such as wheat, dairy, or peanuts, as well as related products. The 2004 Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act facilitates consumers’ ability to determine which food products to avoid to maintain a safe and healthy diet. Food testing laboratories have also been working to respond to individuals with multiple food allergies and address the need to determine if there are suspected allergy- and cross-reactive proteins in food samples.

    The xMAP® FADA enables food testing laboratories to efficiently detect multiple allergens within a single sample for the first time

    Much of this research in allergy and food sensitization has prompted food testing laboratories to consider utilizing multiplex technology to measure allergens within food samples. The published article, Multi-laboratory validation of the xMAP®—Food Allergen Detection Assay: A multiplex, antibody-based assay for the simultaneous detection of food allergens, discusses how scientists from Radix and the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at the US FDA developed a robust food allergen detection assay using Luminex’s

    Learn more about multiplex testing with xMAP Technology in our Resources section.

    Discover the Possibilities Today!

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    6 Reasons You Should Attend xMAP® Connect

    Luminex’s xMAP® multiplexing technology

    Whether you’re a power user of Luminex’s xMAP® multiplexing technology or you’ve just heard about it for the first time, there’s a lot you can gain from attending one of our user group meetings. These xMAP Connect events are designed to be convenient, helpful, and educational. Still not convinced? Here are six reasons we think xMAP Connect meetings are worth your time.

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    1. They’re Local

    Unlike typical biotech user group meetings hosted in the usual East Coast and West Coast hotspots, xMAP Connect is designed to bring great material right to users and prospective users wherever they are in multiple meetings throughout the year. We have upcoming events planned for La Jolla, CA, and Atlanta, GA, plus future meetings likely to be held in Chicago, Boston, and other locations as well.

    2. No Commitment

    We get it — you just don’t have the time or budget for a marathon, multi-day event. That’s why xMAP Connect takes place on a single day, making it easier for you to take time away from the lab or office to join us. We also share the agenda ahead of time, so if you can only pop in for the morning or afternoon, that’s OK. There’s still plenty to do in a short time!

    xMAP Connect San Diego

    3. Stellar Content

    Speakers at xMAP Connect events are, in a word, fantastic. We are honored at every meeting to have highly respected leaders in their fields take time to join us and present results from their work with xMAP Technology. These talks are guaranteed to inspire new ideas, introduce novel applications, and inform users about different instruments and approaches.

    4. Partner Presence

    Luminex has commercialized much of its xMAP Technology through our dedicated partners — licensed companies that develop new assays based on our multiplexing tools. Many of these partners display their products at xMAP Connect events, giving attendees a great view of what’s available off the shelf.

    xMAP Connect Speaker

    5. Networking

    xMAP Connect is for everyone, and we mean everyone! These one-day events bring together PIs and grad students, scientists and clinicians, technology developers and assay designers. When you’re not actively attending a presentation, you can take the opportunity to meet new people, exchange best practices, and collect new ideas to take back to the lab about how xMAP Technology can empower your research.

    6. They’re free

    There’s no cost for conference attendance, and we offer breakfast, lunch, and a cocktail hour as well—all completely free of charge.

    We hope to see you at an upcoming xMAP Connect meeting!

    Check out our next scheduled event for more information on how you can attend.

    Register Today For FREE!

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    xMAP® Connect: Advances in Aging and Dry Eye

    Our recent user group meeting featured presentations of xMAP-enabled studies where multiplexing was essential

    We were honored to host a number of terrific scientists at our recent xMAP® Connect user group meeting. In two of the talks, researchers reported on how they deployed Luminex’s xMAP® Technology for the analysis of tear fluid in patients with dry eye condition and for studies of anti-aging therapies.

    Scleral Lens Wear: Managing Inflammation in the Fluid Reservoir

    Maria Walker, an assistant professor at the University of Houston who pairs research with clinical time at the university’s eye clinic, spoke about a pilot study she performed to better understand the inflammatory response in patients suffering from dry eye, a condition affecting more than 50 million people in the US alone. For the study, she needed to analyze human tears — a remarkably complex fluid containing thousands of proteins, lipids, and metabolites.

    xMAP<sup>®</sup> Connect 2022: Dry Eye

    To characterize these samples, Walker turned to xMAP Technology. She ran a cytokine panel to look for interleukins and matrix metalloproteinases. This first pilot study was designed to establish a robust protocol for collecting and analyzing tear fluid. In future studies, Walker hopes that her findings will eventually allow for a better understanding of the condition and offer the opportunity to evaluate new therapeutics.

    Aging and Senescence: The Eternal Flame of Inflammation

    xMAP<sup>®</sup> Connect 2022: Advances in Aging

    In a separate presentation, Jair Espindola-Netto from the Mayo Clinic offered a look into his work on aging and senescence. Senescence, a cell fate associated with arrested growth but not apoptosis, is one of the mechanisms of aging. When senescent cells are injected into the knees of a healthy mouse, for instance, they induce the same kind of joint destruction associated with osteoarthritis, he said.

    Espindola-Netto is using xMAP Technology to characterize proteins linked to senescence in translational research studies of anti-aging senolytic drugs, which aim to prevent senescence by making these cells less resistant to apoptosis.

    He analyzed mRNA and cytokine markers in studies of a senolytic cocktail including dasatinib and quercetin, finding a significant reduction in senescent cells 14 days after treatment. He also identified a group of cytokines that appear to be correlated with the phenotype. Espindola-Netto noted that his goal is not to help people live longer, but rather to help them stay healthier as they age.

    See Dr. Walker and Dr. Espindola-Netto’s full presentation here:

    [arve url=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/WJMeZVXxIxQ?t=2082″ hide_title=”yes” /]

    Check out these resources to see if xMAP Technology could be advantageous for your research.

    Discover the Advantages

    Scientists Demonstrate Utility of xMAP® Technology for Studying Antibody Binding Kinetics

    Multiplexing offers cost and time savings for generating critical kinetic data

    Across the drug discovery and development process, understanding the kinetics of how antibodies bind is essential. This information is important for antibody selection, quality control processes, assay development for analyte detection, and much more.

    Conventional techniques for generating kinetic data on antibodies tend to be tedious and time-consuming. Each antibody must be tested individually. For such important data, having a higher-throughput alternative would be ideal.

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    A new way to generate kinetic data on antibodies

    Recently, scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute who study bioanalytics and bioprocessing (in the cell therapy and immunology division) evaluated a multiplex method for antibody kinetics. The Germany-based team is responsible for analyte detection in human health applications ranging from food contaminants and disease markers to drug abuse indicators and more. Led by Harald Seitz, head of the biomarker validation and assay development department, the team also included post-doc Sandra Muekusch and PhD student Timo Ramm. “The main aim of my work is trying to analyze all kinds of different samples,” says Seitz. “That involves a lot of quality control and other elements that are essential for assay development.”

    For this project, they used the Luminex FLEXMAP 3D® System with bead-based xMAP® Technology capable of detecting up to 500 analytes in a single sample. Their study offers the first demonstration of how xMAP multiplexing can be used to generate kinetic data on antibody binding.

    xMAP Technology passes the test

    The scientists evaluated the xMAP-based approach by incubating different concentrations of a primary antibody with a fixed concentration of a secondary antibody, as well as direct labeling of the primary antibody. They calculated EC50 (effective dose, when 50 % of binding occurred) as the KD (binding affinity) value and compared the outcome to values obtained through conventional methods for measuring antibody binding kinetics. The work was based on peptides developed by Muekusch for phosphorylation studies.

    “We compared Luminex to the gold standard of SPR, and the data looked good.”

    — Timo Ramm, PhD student, Fraunhofer Institute

    “I had worked with Luminex before, and it was quite easy.” The team notes that Luminex results would be particularly useful for ranking antibody binding kinetics, allowing researchers to quickly identify the best ones and move ahead to assay development.

    The comparable results indicate that xMAP multiplexing technology is an efficient, high-throughput alternative for generating essential data about antibody binding patterns. xMAP Technology works with extremely small sample volumes, making it simpler and more cost-effective to test antibody binding for drug discovery and other applications.

    Learn more about this project in our new tech note

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