BioProbes 77

Featured article

Immuno-oncology: Advances in basic research and translational medicine

People living with cancer are benefiting from recent advances in cancer immunotherapy research—a field of study that began more than a century ago. The overarching goal of these novel treatment approaches is to enhance or enable anti-tumor immune responses, to overcome tumor evasion mechanisms, and to promote conditions that favor immune protection. Immunotherapy may offer distinct advantages over standard treatment modalities. For example, tumor-specific immune cells have the ability to migrate to areas of the body that are inaccessible by surgery. Cells of the immune system may also target microscopic disease and disseminated metastases.

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Immuno-oncology research: Flow cytometry resources for the fight against cancer

Immuno-oncologists today are actively investigating the tumor microenvironment, dissecting immune checkpoints, and developing precision therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. By combining flow cytometry reagents and instruments, researchers can generate more complete and complex information about the immune system’s role in cancer.

For more information on sample preparation, flow cytometry antibodies, cell health assays, and flow cytometry platforms, go to  Immuno-oncology Research Using Flow Cytometry

While there, you can also request the immuno-oncology flow cytometry guide “Empowering technologies for immuno-oncology research”. This 24-page guide reviews several key areas of cancer research and provides simplified workflows for flow cytometry, biomarker profiling, and cell imaging.

Download or print this immuno-oncology flow cytometry guide

On-demand webinar: “The complex pharmacology of T cell CARs”

Also on the “Immuno-oncology research using flow cytometry” webpage, you can find an on-demand webinar, “The complex pharmacology of T cell CARs”, presented by Charles Prussak, PhD, Director of the Cell Therapy Translational Laboratory at the University of California, San Diego. In this webinar, Dr. Prussak discusses next-generation cell-based immunotherapies targeting cancer cells, and the current work in his lab to develop chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)–modified T cells that target the fetal antigen ROR1 (expected to enter phase I clinical studies in 2018). He focuses on:

• CAR T cell therapies and the impact that the production process can have on the clinical activities of these agents
• Toxicities that are most commonly observed when employing CD19-directed CAR T cell therapies, and the clinical interventions used to ameliorate these side effects
• Pivotal clinical trial results that were used as the basis for approval of tisagenlecleucel
• Next-generation CAR T cell therapies for the treatment of both hematological and solid-tumor malignancies

Access Dr. Prussak's on-demand cancer research webinar

Boost synaptic strength: Complete a protein and cell analysis eLearning course

Would you like to learn about or review important protein and cell analysis application areas? We have produced a series of free, self-paced, animated courses that include knowledge checks and practical application exercises to help you solidify what you have learned, as well as downloadable course materials and relevant supplementary resources. Available courses include:

• Antibodies: Antibody validation*
• Flow cytometry: T cell stimulation and proliferation
• Protein biology: Protein sample preparation

All content is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is viewable from the convenience of your computer or mobile device.

Find our latest eLearning course offerings

* The use or any variation of the word “validation” refers only to research-use antibodies that were subject to functional testing to confirm that the antibody can be used with the research techniques indicated. It does not ensure that the product or products were validated for clinical or diagnostic uses.

Instrument evaluation guide and webpage

We have pulled together a detailed description of the various capabilities of a flow cytometry instrument and how they can enhance your research, This flow cytometry instrument evaluation focuses on the fluidic and optical systems, variations in the way technical specifications are calculated, and the importance of instrument maintenance, allowing you to explore how design features and software capabilities support your applications and sample types.

Read more at Considerations When Purchasing a Flow Cytometer

While on the flow cytometry instrument evaluation webpage, you can request the “Flow cytometer evaluation guide: Informed purchasing decisions through understanding experimental design and instrument capabilities”. This 40-page guide discusses the fluidic and optical components and capabilities of various flow cytometers to facilitate objective comparisons of instruments from several manufacturers. It was developed in consultation with experts in mechanical, optical, systems, and software engineering, and it incorporates observations of researchers who perform flow cytometry workflows on a daily basis. Decide for yourself at thermofisher.com/compareflow.

Download or print this flow cytometer evaluation guide

3D instrument tour of the Attune NxT Flow Cytometer

The Invitrogen Attune NxT Flow Cytometer makes multiparametric flow cytometry available to both new and experienced researchers. Designed for faster experimental run times, this compact flow cytometer uses acoustics-assisted hydrodynamic focusing technology to provide rapid and accurate analysis for a broad range of sample types.

Now you can take an online 3D instrument tour of the Attune NxT Flow Cytometer and Autosampler, available in 8 different languages (Japanese, Chinese, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and English). To begin your exploration of the fluidic and optical systems, software features, customer testimonials, and representative data for the Attune NxT Flow Cytometer, simply select the “3D Demo” button at thermofisher.com/attune and choose a language.

Start your 3D instrument tour of the Attune Flow Cytometers

Helpful online resources for protein assays

Protein quantitation is an integral part of many laboratory workflows and often a necessary step before isolation, separation, and analysis by chromatography, electrophoresis, or immunochemical techniques. Thermo Scientific Pierce protein assays provide exceptional accuracy, compatibility, and broad applicability that enable most laboratory protein samples to be quantified with ease.

For help with identifying, comparing, and choosing the best protein assay for your specific application, we’ve created an online, interactive protein assay selection guide, in which you can filter and compare selections based on sample type, assay time, readout (colorimetric or fluorescent), and compatibility (with detergents or reducing agents). Then you’re just a few friendly clicks away from finding the optimal protein assay for improved protein quantitation results.

Find your optimal protein assay

You can also learn more about the latest advances in protein quantitation assays in a recently released white paper that provides key data on the linearity, protein-to-protein variation, and reagent compatibility of the Thermo Scientific Pierce Rapid Gold BCA Protein Assay. This two-component, detergent-compatible colorimetric assay provides the high sensitivity and linearity associated with the BCA assay, but in a fraction of the time it takes to perform a standard BCA assay.

See a thorough discussion of our BCA colorimetric protein assays