Microplate-based, label-free detection of biomolecular interactions: applications in proteomics.

This review describes a new type of label-free optical biosensor that is inexpensively manufactured from continuous sheets of plastic film and incorporated into standard format microplates to enable highly sensitive, high-throughput detection of small molecules, proteins and cells. The biosensor and associated detection instrumentation are applied to review two fundamental limiting issues for assays in proteomics research and drug discovery: requirement for quantitative measurement of protein concentration and specific activity, and measurements made with complex systems in highly parallel measurements. SRU BIosystems, Inc.'s BIND label-free detection will address these issues using data examples for hybridoma screening, epitope binning and mapping, small-molecule screening, and cell-based functional assays. The review describes several additional applications that are under development for the system, and the key issues that will drive adoption of the technology over the next 5 years.