Cell-Based Assays
Sword scientists specialize in the development of qualitative or quantitative bioanalytical methods that measure cellular biomolecules active in a specific disease state. Cell-based assays are bioanalytical methods that measure the presence, amount, or activity of biomolecules in cells, cell fractions, nuclear extracts, tissue extracts, or cell extracts. In pharmaceutical drug discovery and development, cell-based assays are critical tools that often provide the initial biochemical evidence that a potential large or small molecule therapeutic is affecting the target or signaling pathway of interest.
At Sword, our scientists have extensive experience in the development of assays for cellular enzymes, receptors, signal transduction molecules, and transcription factors present in cell lysates from drug treated cells. We will develop and performance qualify a qualitative or quantitative method, specific for your target of interest, for you to use to obtain data regarding the efficacy of your small molecule lead compounds or to stratify different chemical series of compounds for further development.
For large molecule therapeutics, we can develop methods to detect or quantitate up or down regulation of second messenger phosphoproteins or transcription factors indicative of successful receptor engagement.