chromatography • spectroscopy 47


Hence, the analysis of this interaction plays a key-role in cell biology, pharmacy and medicine and can be a highly-sensitive read-out of, eg, drug response in pharmaceutical screening studies. Whereas molecular interaction can hardly be visualised by spatially resolved co-localization studies, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a prominent technique to identify these interactions on a nanometer length-scale. Based on the dipole-dipole coupling of two adjacent chromophores with overlapping emission and absorbance spectra, this technique intrinsically requires spectroscopic techniques. A quantitative approach records both the (partially quenched) emission of the donor chromophore and the emission of the acceptor dye and ratiometrically calculates the absolute molecular interaction strength via an average chromophoric distance in a dynamic system.


A more sophisticated analysis


utilises the time-domain domain approach to analyse the reduced fluorescence lifetime of a donor chromophore in presence of a FRET acceptor.


Integration Future developments in MLR techniques might include an even deeper integration of spectroscopic techniques into these devices. With the availability of cost-efficient flexible laser sources, a complete new field of applications in the MLR techniques opens up, which comprise, eg, the combination of high throughput applications with spectroscopic read-outs or next-level spectroscopy techniques such as Raman scattering or energy up-conversion. Also, advances in the field of plasmonic structures might find its way into MLR applications.


Here at Berthold Technologies many of the described requirements and opportunities have been taken care of by developing the Mithras²


multilabel reader. Besides filter technology - which has been improved by the use of RFID coding of each individual filter in terms of application security - the instrument utilises dual monochromators for absorbance/excitation and emission respectively.


Te monochromators, lamps and detectors cover a wide spectrum from 230 to 1000nm matching the needs of bio- analytical applications. Especially for cellular applications the Mithras² is equipped with bottom reading capabilities and temperature control for the samples within the microplate. Reagent injectors with tip located at reading positions enable the addition of subtrates and triggers right before or even during the measurements.


For more information ✔ at www.scientistlive.com/eurolab


Dr Frank Schleifenbaum and Bernd Hutter are with Berthold Technologies GmbH & Co KG, Bad Wildbad, Germany. www.Berthold.com/bio


Spectrometry: double-digit growth in Asia-Pacific offsets stagnation in US and Europe


The global mass spectrometry (MS) market is growing much faster than the high-end analytical instrumentation market. This is a sign that demand is high with broad applications and diversified end-user bases despite limited capital budgets in academia and the economic uncertainty in the US and Europe. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan’s


Global Mass Spectrometry Market finds the market earned revenue of $1.7 billion in 2012 and estimates this to reach $2.5 billion in 2017. This analysis covers MS and liquid chromatography- MS (LC/MS) instruments, which include single quadrupole LC/MS, tandem LC/ MS (triple quadrupole and ion trap), time-of-flight (TOF) LC/MS, and matrix- assisted laser desorption ionisation (MALDI)-TOF.s.” The substantial number of mass


spectrometers that entered the market over the past two years illustrates both the fast pace of technological advancements, particularly in triple quadrupole LC/MS and Q-TOF, and the strong demand for these platforms. Several product launches with


substantial improvements in sensitivity, resolution, speed and throughput are spurring high-end customers to upgrade instruments more often to avoid obsolete platforms. “Strong research and development


efforts by equipment manufacturers – a testament to the large market opportunity – have enabled improved qualitative and quantitative capabilities, giving rise to new applications,” said Frost & Sullivan Life Sciences Senior Industry Analyst Christi Bird. “The increasing acceptance of MS in clinical diagnostics, applied testing in emerging


economies, and its expanding use along the drug development pipeline are driving the market.” Despite the push to further enlarge


the customer base by widening the instrument pricing range, mass spectrometers remain expensive and therefore, cost-prohibitive for many laboratories. In the US, sequestration measures and lack of funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant compel MS suppliers to rely heavily on the more stable pharmaceutical, biotechnology, applied and industrial sectors, as well as emerging geographical regions for growth. However, the US market offers the most potential for early clinical acceptance. Suppliers continue to find pockets


of growth by integrating multiple technologies, developing clinically-


focused instruments, and diminishing performance trade-offs. In addition, competitors are looking to adopt the general life science trend of miniaturisation to bring the technology to lower-budget laboratories. “Instrument suppliers have yet to


successfully bring MS technologies to lower-budget laboratories in the way that qPCR, flow cytometry and other genomics and proteomics vendors have,” reflected Bird. “Once budget conditions improve for small- to mid-size laboratories, suppliers will shift attention to developing stripped- down, lower throughput, personal MS instruments with a smaller footprint and corresponding price tags that will appeal to a larger consumer base.”


For more information, visit www.lifesciences.frost.com.


www.scientistlive.com


“In general, the spectroscopic techniques can be subdivided in frequency- resolved and time-resolved techniques.”


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