Academic and government
A binding result obtained in laboratory buffer may not explain how the interaction behaves in an environmental or biological sample. VICA™ supports selected label-free studies in solid-phase and solution-phase formats to investigate that difference. Its portable reader also allows an assay to be taken into the field, helping researchers obtain measurements where the samples are collected. Pavonis works with investigators to plan a service study or arrange suitable VICA™ testing in their own laboratory or research setting.
Research access
Confirm the assays, sample requirements and handling arrangements with your team, perform the study and return the measurements
Obtain binding data without purchasing an instrument
Develop a suitable VICA™ test and supply the portable platform after confirming assay and operating requirements with your team
Measure samples in the setting where the research takes place
If you have not selected an arrangement, we can review the study requirements with you. We confirm access arrangements for each research application before work begins.
Research settings
A VICA™ platform is installed at MolScreen. Researchers considering access can contact Pavonis to discuss the arrangements available for their study.
Dr. Frank Wuest, Professor and Chair in the Department of Oncology, co-authored the Molecular Pharmaceutics peptide study, in which VICA™ was used for binding assessment within a broader experimental program.
Veterinarian Dr. Michael Jelinski worked with Drs. Todd McMullen and Matthew Nickel on a VICA™ prototype study in a commercial feedlot, taking a laboratory haptoglobin test into an agricultural research setting.
Sample conditions
A comparison between buffer and another medium, such as water or urine, can help establish whether sample conditions affect the measured interaction. Depending on the assay, VICA™ can contribute binding, affinity, kinetic or quantification measurements to that comparison. Researchers can use the differences to plan follow-up experiments or compare candidates under the tested conditions.
Limited sample material can restrict how many conditions a researcher is able to compare. Using small samples for those comparisons helps conserve material for subsequent work. Pavonis assesses preparation, controls and analysis for the specific target and medium before confirming the assay.
Publications
The npj Biosensing platform paper describes VICA™’s method and selected protein-binding assays, providing a starting point for technical evaluation. For examples of its use within broader peptide and protein research, the Molecular Pharmaceutics and Nature Communications papers describe the experiments and findings. Read those results with their reported sample conditions to assess their relevance to your study.
Next step
Send a non-confidential description of your target, samples and requested measurements, including the equipment or access limitations affecting the work. Whether you want Pavonis to perform the study, need access in your own setting or want to discuss the options, we will review the assay and access requirements together so you can assess a suitable arrangement for your research.
