The Munich startup PreOmics Max Planck Innovation has licensed several technologies from the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried for sample preparation for proteomics research. With the help of a novel sample preparation kit, scientists will be able to more easily use mass spectrometry for protein research in the future. This, in turn, could open up new possibilities for drug development and diagnostics.
Proteins perform numerous important functions in the human body and are considered the building blocks of life. However, they can also be responsible for the development of a wide variety of diseases, such as cancer, infectious diseases, or Alzheimer's. To gain insights into the functioning of proteins, identify connections, and develop new therapeutic approaches, research into proteins is being conducted worldwide. the so-called proteomics – strongly promoted.
Goal of proteomics: Deciphering protein malfunctions
A major hurdle in this field of research is the high complexity of proteins. The human body contains up to a million proteins, which are produced by thousands of different genes. In addition, the protein pattern (proteome; i.e. the totality of all proteins in a cell or living organism) is subject to constant change, as new proteins are synthesized and old proteins are degraded or modified. The aim of proteomics is, among other things, to decipher protein malfunctions. New findings can, for example, be used to develop innovative medications. This way, targeted pharmacological agents can be developed that dock onto disease-causing proteins and prevent malfunctions there. Furthermore, interactions between active ingredients and proteins, as well as possible side effects, can be investigated. New diagnostic tools based on the analysis of protein-protein interactions can also be developed with the help of proteomics.
PreOmics has now developed a standardized sample preparation kit for the first time. It is designed to simplify mass spectrometry. The kit offers a complete, rapid, and easy-to-use solution in a standardized container.
“Kit reduces the number of necessary steps from 10 to 3”
With the technology, which was developed at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Matthias Mann's department, researchers can prepare samples for their analyses much more quickly.
"Our sample preparation kit enables robust, reproducible, and rapid sample preparation. The kit reduces the number of necessary steps from 10 to 3. All steps are performed in a special vessel that minimizes potential contamination and is also applicable for high-throughput applications. This allows even non-experts to use mass spectrometry and proteomics, especially for basic research. In the future, use in drug development and diagnostics is also conceivable."
so Nils A. Kulak, co-inventor and co-founder of PreOmics.
