Macromolecular Therapeutics Development Supports Cutting-edge Biological Challenges
On Thursday, June 6, 2019, at noon, during the Pathways to Success at the Einstein Cores bimonthly seminar series, held in the Forchheimer third-floor lecture hall, learn how resources within Einstein’s Macromolecular Therapeutics Development Core can aid your research. Core director Dr. Steven Almo will offer an overview of the core’s services and the capabilities of its facilities. Then hear how Drs. Jacqueline Achkar and Betsy Herold are already putting these services to good use, working with the core’s team.
![The core provides unparalleled capabilities in the protein sciences and access to state-of-the-art automation technologies]()
The core provides unparalleled capabilities in the protein sciences and access to state-of-the-art automation technologies
Overview
The Macromolecular Therapeutics Development Facility (MTDF) provides expertise for directed development and optimization of protein-based therapeutics and supports high-throughput (HTP) automated development, analysis and production of protein reagents. We use a wide range of automation, including liquid handling workstations for HTP molecular biology and expression testing, robotics for very efficient HTP tissue culture-based applications, and microarray printers for receptor-ligand de-orphaning and immunological phenotyping. This infrastructure is designed to provide Einstein researchers with the added leverage of robotics equipment and trained personnel to accelerate and scale up their projects, thereby obviating the need for individual investigators to set up and staff their own facilities for protein production.
Macromolecular Therapeutics Development Services
- General cloning into a range of protein expression vectors (single through 96-well)
- Expression profiling in E. coli, insect and mammalian platforms
- Large-scale and high-throughput growth of cells or bacteria expressing recombinant proteins
- Classical and automated purification of secreted recombinant proteins from mammalian culture supernatant
- One-of-a-kind anaerobic protein production capabilities
- Construction of large-scale mutant libraries
- Epitope mapping
- Receptor-Ligand analysis
- Custom DNA and cell microarrays
- Generation of hybridomas making mouse and rat monoclonal antibodies
- Generation of isotype switched monoclonal antibodies
- Unique automation solutions for a wide range of biological challenges
It’s Been Said
“Our overall goal is to provide the Einstein community with unparalleled capabilities in the protein sciences and access to state-of-the-art automation technologies. This infrastructure supports a remarkable range of cutting-edge biological challenges, including development of the next generation of biologics for the treatment of malignancies, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases, and the discovery of novel targets to enable development of highly selective, pathogen-specific, antiviral and antimicrobial small-molecule inhibitors. Our automation infrastructure is readily adaptable and supports technologies including the discovery of human-neutralizing antibodies and CRISPR-based screens for the mechanistic analysis of viral entry processes. In the future we envision leveraging these capabilities for the development of diagnostic and prognostic technologies to synergize with clinical programs at Einstein and Montefiore.”
Steven Almo, Ph.D.
Scientific Director
Professor and Chair of Biochemistry; Wollowick Family Foundation Chair in Immunology
“Active tuberculosis (TB) has surpassed HIV as the worldwide leading cause of death from a single pathogen. Early diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of TB are the cornerstones for disease control. Collaborating with Einstein’s Macromolecular Therapeutics Development Core has allowed me to generate human and mycobacterial proteins for the development of diagnostic tools and protective antibodies to combat this major global public health problem.”
Jacqueline Achkar, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine and of Microbiology & Immunology
“The core has been tremendously helpful in our efforts to identify the antigenic targets of the protective antibodies generated by a novel HSV vaccine we are developing. These antibodies are now being tested as adjunctive therapy to treat neonatal herpes in small animal models.”
Betsy Herold, M.D.
Professor of Pediatrics, of Microbiology & Immunology, and of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health; Vice Chair of Research for Pediatrics; Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases; Director of the Translational Prevention Research Center; Harold and Muriel Block Chair in Pediatrics
Posted on: Wednesday, June 05, 2019