The remarkable history and latest applications of bead-based multiplexing
We’re excited that Elsevier’s METHODS journal just released an entire issue dedicated to new areas of innovation related to bead-based biomarker detection. The issue demonstrates the diverse applications of the xMAP® Technology as a research tool and as the platform for clinical diagnostics.
The Luminex team was honored to be included in this special issue. Our own Hilary Graham, Don Chandler, and Sherry Dunbar contributed an article entitled “The genesis and evolution of bead-based multiplexing” in which they offer a great overview of the history, breadth, and uses of our xMAP Technology. “xMAP Technology is the most widely adopted bead-based multiplexing platform,” the authors note, “with over 35,000 peer-reviewed publications, an installed base of approximately 15,500 instruments, and over 70 Luminex Partners offering more than 1,300 research use kits as well as custom assay solutions.” The technology is used for a number of applications in immunoassay and nucleic acid testing, both for research and for diagnostic purposes.
xMAP Technology Applications
One of the coolest things about xMAP Technology is its open architecture, which invites scientists around the world to tailor it to their own needs. That’s why it has been developed for a host of applications, many of which are highlighted in the Graham et al. article. These include:
- Biomarker discovery and profiling
- Multiplex gene expression
- Protein quantification
- DNA barcoding
- Mapping signaling networks
- Vaccine development
- Cancer research and oncology
- Neurodegeneration
- Pathogen detection
- Transplants and HLA typing
If you’re interested in how xMAP Technology works, this paper also has you covered. There’s plenty of information about microspheres, the manufacturing process, and assay formats. The publication is a great way to quickly get up to speed on Luminex tools and how they’re being used in labs around the world.
Resources:
- Advances in Bead-Based Biomarker Detection [Methods xMAP Issue]
- Getting Started with xMAP® Technology [Video]
- xMAP® Cookbook to Design Your Own Assays [Download]
- Browse 1,200+ Partner Kits with xMAP® Kit Finder [Online Tool]
