Some scientific researchers, for example, may need a marker to count T cells involved in fighting infection, but their requirements are such that they need a format not offered in the standard reagent catalog. This situation may lead them to consider a custom reagent—such as those available through Beckman Coulter's Custom Design Service.*
The theory behind custom reagents is akin to an omelet bar menu—enabling customers to pick and choose the exact ingredients they want, with Beckman Coulter delivering the finished formulation.
Why Custom Reagents?
There may be several different reasons researchers could require custom reagents, including their need for one or more of the following:
Bulk Quantities – While most researchers require only small amounts of purified antibodies, some researchers on large projects may need a thousand times more of a specific reagent. These researchers are interested in taking advantage of the convenience and cost-effectiveness afforded by bulk packaging and pricing.
Custom Conjugations – Other researchers may need a different conjugation—or dye—than what is offered on the standard formulation for antibody clones. By applying an alternate fluorochrome to the specific reagent antibody formulation, custom reagents enable the target cells to be visible by certain research analyzers—helping researchers identify them appropriately.
Unique Reagent Blends – Lastly, some researchers may want to combine specific markers to use together in a specific research project. Because certain instruments can analyze multiple markers at the same time, researchers can increase their efficiency by “pooling” different antibody markers and maximizing every test run. This enables researchers to improve their testing process by evaluating multiple research targets at once and minimizing the risk of wasting valuable blood samples.
By using these custom “blends” from Beckman Coulter, customers can avoid the hassle and guesswork associated with making these pooled antibodies themselves and they can rest assured that the antibodies will work together accurately and without interference.
Regardless of the specific research need, Beckman Coulter's Custom Design Service offers custom reagents in a variety of volumes—and provides price quotations based on the relative amount of the antibodies the customer requires.
What's more, customers can expect that each custom reagent demonstrates Beckman Coulter's proven leadership in reagent quality, small- and large-volume manufacturing capabilities, superior dye conjugation technology and multi-color design expertise. This delivers extended shelf life and lot-to-lot standardization, while eliminating the need for costly and labor intensive in-lab design and testing.
“While custom reagents are definitely a niche market, it adds tremendous value for researchers who have specific reagent needs and want to rely on the proven expertise of Beckman Coulter to meet their requirements,” says Mark Cheetham, Product Manager for Research Cytometry Cell Analysis. “It's one more way Beckman Coulter can help customers simplify their testing processes and maximize their efficiency.”
*For research use only, not for diagnostic use.
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