PHERAstar® FSX HTS Microplate Reader

Thallium-sensitive dye-based methods have made it possible to measure monovalent ion channels such as potassium channels. However, they typically employ kinetic imaging readers that are not common laboratory equipment. Here, a modified potassium channel assay is demonstrated, that can be detected with the PHERAstar FSX with comparable results to kinetic modality readers.

Discover how researchers use the PHERAstar FSX microplate reader to study opioid receptor signaling and design safer pain relief drugs. Explore G protein dissociation and β-arrestin recruitment assays for µOR, δOR, κOR, and NOPR receptors.

In this application note, BMG LABTECH discusses the limitations of conventional microplate readers when it comes to temperature stability and its effects on assay precision and reliability. The PHERAstar® FSX with Advanced Assay Stability (AAS) system eliminates external air flow to the inside of the reader, maintaining constant humidity and reducing evaporation. The AAS system enables the PHERAstar FSX to match room temperature conditions and to be maintained at any temperature between 18° and 45°C. It achieves this by automatically heating or cooling the microplate measurement chamber depending on the external environment.

In this application note, BMG LABTECH discusses the use of microplate readers for measuring the motility of cells, specifically in the context of wound healing and invasion assays. The note describes important factors to consider when performing these assays, such as the choice of a proper cell line, the selection of the right assay format, and the attainment of proper cell confluency prior to the assay. The note also discusses the use of key detection technologies such as fluorescence, luminescence, and absorbance, comparing the benefits and drawbacks of each technology.

In this application note, BMG LABTECH employs crystal violet biofilm mass quantification and Live/Dead bacterial viability assays to assess the antibacterial properties of the phage APTC-EC-2A towards bacterial biofilms.

In this application note, BMG LABTECH describes the development and validation of a cell-based mode-of-action assay, by which the total nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) activity in a wastewater sample enriched by solid phase extraction (SPE) can be measured as equivalents of the lead substance diclofenac (DicEQ).

Cytokines are important regulators of cell proliferation, differentiation, and immune response1. Since their roles are not completely understood yet, both basic and drug discovery research require accurate cytokine quantification methods. THUNDER™ Biomarker Assays are designed to enable the simple, rapid, sensitive, and robust quantification of biomarkers in cell supernatants. In this application note, BMG LABTECH describes the validation of the PHERAstar FSX multi-mode microplate reader for measuring a panel of five THUNDER™ human cytokine assays.

There are numerous viability assay kits available which allow cellular viability quantification using absorbance (Abs), fluorescence (FI), or luminescence (Lum) readouts in a microplate reader.

In this application note, BMG Labtech compares three popular representatives (Vybrant® MTT, alamarBlueTM, and CellTiter-Glo®) in terms of their usability, as well as lower and upper limit of detection, to support you in the selection of the optimal viability assay for your individual application.

In this application note, a protein-protein interaction assay between angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the SAR-CoV-2 Spike Protein (S1) Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) was developed. This provides an example of how improved assay and microplate reader technologies can be leveraged to develop new screens to improve our ability to respond to emerging diseases.

The quantification of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) is a central step in molecular biology as downstream experiments rely on the use of adequate amounts. In this application note, BMG LABTECH promises a fast and easy approach for data analysis to assess the quality of DNA/RNA samples using BMG LABTECH microplate readers.

Step inside the world of next-generation 3D cell culture with Dr Elad Katz, founder of Navigate Precision Biology, a spin-out from the University of Dundee. In this interview, Dr Katz shares how their groundbreaking NaviPlate system generates 384 identical organoids in a single microplate — a powerful, automation-friendly platform for studying disease models and accelerating drug discovery.

Discover how Dr Katz relies on the PHERAstar FSX microplate reader to push the boundaries of organoid research, using fluorescence intensity to analyze life/death assays with as few as 500 cells per well. From cancer and bone microtissues to heart, kidney, and lung organoids, learn how high-throughput, ultra-sensitive detection is driving innovations in fibrosis research, calcium flux oscillations, and beyond.

Discover tips and considerations for improving microplate reader measurements. Application specialists, Dr. Ann-Cathrin Volz and Dr. Martin Mangold from BMG LABTECH, discuss the impact of different plate reader parameters on data, and provide empirical evidence of their effect on data quality. They also discuss approaches to optimize microplate reader settings, and share recommendations for using BMG LABTECH's range of microplate readers.

In this video, Eric Matthews, Vice President of US Sales and Business Development at BMG LABTECH, discusses its comprehensive portfolio of microplate readers and how this is designed to offer easy-to-use, high-quality microplate readers for a range of different life sciences applications.

In this presentation at SLAS2020, senior application scientist Carl Peters, from BMG LABTECH, and Erik Schaeffer, Co-Founder, President & Chief Scientific Officer at AssayQuant Technologies, Inc., discuss the exciting area of protein kinases as a target class, highlighting an effective new approach to monitoring and assessing the mechanism of kinases and phosphatases and the microplate reader technology supporting this collaboration.

This presentation was filmed at SLAS2020 - watch other highlights from the show here >>

In this video, Catherine Wark, applications manager at BMG Labtech, introduces the features of the new PHERAstar FXS and highlights its benefits beyond previous PHERAstar instruments. Céline Legros, project manger for screening assay development at Servier, then outlines how BMG Labtech instruments are incorporated into her lab's day-to-day automation and screening platforms, including their use in three different assay applications: homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) miniaturization, quench assay miniaturization, and fast kinetics assay monitoring.

In this interview, Céline Legros, Ph.D., project manager of assay development in the department of screening and banking at Servier, describes how plate reader technology from BMG Labtech enables her team to meet the demands of compound screening across a range of therapeutic areas. Learn how the PHERAstar® FSX HTS Microplate Reader provides the sensitivity and speed required to optimize the high throughput workflow, with 1536 plate read time of less than one minute.

Video filmed at SLAS Europe 2019 – visit the SelectScience special feature for more videos from the event.

Catherine Wark, applications manager at BMG Labtech, introduces the PHERAstar® FSX as the new gold standard system for high-throughput screening. Professor Steven Charlton, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Excellerate Bioscience, discusses his work using the PHERAstar to measure kinetic interactions of ligand-GPCR binding using a TR-FRET approach. The PHERAstar enables fully automated, temperature controlled, continuous reads and overcomes many of the challenges encountered with more traditional GPCR kinetic assays.

The PHERAstar has been developed as a means of establishing fully automated, high-throughput and temperature sensitive assays for a variety of cell biology and drug discovery applications. Professor Steven Charlton, Chief Scientific Officer of Excellerate Bioscience, describes how the PHERAstar has been central to his work in understanding the pharmacological parameters of drug-receptor interactions. In particular, Charlton describes how the unique on-board injector feature is hugely valuable to his research as it enables simultaneous addition of reagent and data capture.

Dr. Kevin Pfleger, Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia and Head of Molecular Endocrinology and Pharmacology at Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, discusses a recently published, novel nanoBRET assay that was developed in collaboration with BMG Labtech and Promega.

Dr. rer. nat. Florian P.M. Kohn, University of Hohenheim, Germany describes his zero gravity experiments that investigate the effects of microgravity on human neuronal function, using fast and efficient microplate assays.

To recognize 25 years of accelerating science, we’re highlighting reviews on innovative technologies and your laboratory essentials

Explore the importance of stabilizing temperature in microplate reading technology to achieve robust and reproducible data in your drug discovery workflows

Here we recognize the latest products to earn a coveted Seal of Quality award for receiving consistently outstanding feedback from scientists

Exclusive interviews, new methods, free downloads and more to help advance your pharma and biopharma research & development

SelectScience goes behind the scenes to meet some of the key people driving the microplate reader innovator

We speak with Dr. Stefanie Tintelnot about how to ensure experimental success by forging close relationships with technology innovators who can communicate 'scientist to scientist'

We speak with Dr. John Abbenante about how application-based content can help optimize your assays, whatever your research area

From AI to artificial lifeforms, we spotlight the latest research and automation solutions innovating life sciences and drug discovery

The Incucyte Live-Cell Analysis System from Sartorius becomes the fifth product in history to be awarded a Platinum Seal of Quality

As BMG LABTECH marks its 30th anniversary, we speak with senior applications scientist Dr. Carl Peters to hear the story behind the success