SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Fluidigm Corporation announced publication of a peer-reviewed article that validates Fluidigm's microfluidic technology as a breakthrough for protein crystallization studies. The paper, featured on the cover of the December 24, 2002 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), is titled "A robust and scalable microfluidic metering method that allows protein crystal growth by free interface diffusion," and has stimulated demand for Fluidigm's enabling approach to protein crystallization. The paper was co-written by researchers from the laboratories of structural biologist Dr. James Berger, from University of California, Berkeley, and applied physicist Dr. Stephen Quake, from the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena.
The published results show definitively that free interface diffusion (FID) of model proteins and reagents, enabled by Fluidigm's Microprocessor, produces more crystals than widely-used vapor diffusion or microbatch techniques and that diffraction quality crystals can be recovered directly from the Microprocessor. The paper also documented success with never before crystallized proteins. This indicates that the Fluidigm approach is more sensitive for finding conditions for crystallization, even when challenged with large protein/nucleic acid complexes.
Structural biologists need to crystallize proteins so that they can study a protein's role in diseases and evaluate candidate drug therapies. However, the process is known to be arduous and time consuming. Fluidigm has addressed the problem by fabricating hundreds of microscopic valves and channels within a "Microprocessor" small enough to fit in the palm of a hand. The Microprocessor requires just 3 microliters of protein sample and only minutes to set up 144 screening experiments.
"Customers who apply our technology intensively are achieving dramatic improvements in the number of crystal hits," said Gajus Worthington, chief executive officer at Fluidigm. "A technician can successfully screen over 14,400 experiments with several proteins in a matter of weeks, using only 300 microliters of protein."
Both Berger and Quake have played a key role on the multi-disciplinary team collaborating with Fluidigm to streamline the complex process of protein crystallization. "Early in my research career, I was always looking for a way of getting around using a hand pipette to physically mix drops one at a time for protein crystallography," states Dr. Berger. "It's rewarding to have helped develop a technology that will make a huge impact in automating and enhancing crystallization discovery." Dr. Berger recently joined Fluidigm as a member of its Scientific Advisory Board.
About Fluidigm
Fluidigm, an innovator in microfluidic technology, is dedicated to delivering on the promise of microfluidics through the commercialization of complete and enabling systems that impact mission critical objectives within life science research. Fluidigm's initial customer base is in the drug discovery and life sciences arena; initial products address the challenge of protein-structure determination. Based in South San Francisco, California, Fluidigm is privately held and backed by premier investors including Euclid SR Partners, Lehman Brothers Healthcare Fund, Piper Jaffray Ventures, Versant Ventures and the Singapore EDB. |
