Fully automated electrophoresis system

Project: Study and construction fully
automated electrophoresis system

 

 

NATIONAL RANGE ACTION :«RESEARCH - CREATE - INNOVATE»

 

The objective of the proposed industrial research action is to develop the framework for the creation of an innovative product which concerns the study, design, prototype manufacture and testing of a fully automated apparatus for the performance of the electrophoresis process based on the electrophoresis gel). In particular, the new automated device is characterized by high measurement reliability, small dimensions and low cost, thus achieving the introduction of a significant innovation in the medical / laboratory measurement market.

The duration of the project is 24 months.

Electrophoresis is the phenomenon of chemical compound movement due to the application of electric field to gel. The movement of substances within the electric field is mainly related to the applied electrical charge and the molecular weight of the substances. Therefore, if an electric field (in V / cm, with a certain power) is applied to an electrophoresis device, the motion depends exclusively on the molecular weight of the substance on a given substrate (pH, water content, temperature, etc.). For the electrophoresis process it is necessary to use protocols for the sampling and maintenance of the sample, the characteristics of the electric field and the use of the appropriate substrate and the corresponding buffers.

As a procedure, electrophoresis is a simple technique, with immediate results of high precision and low cost. It is used for protein analysis in blood serum as well as other biological fluids (eg urine, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva). Electrophoresis can be applied both as a research method and for clinical diagnosis of gammasfairinopatheion, hemoglobinopathies, lipid, etc. As a diagnostic method provide clear quantitative (photometric evaluation ilektroforogrammatos) and qualitative information on changes in specific proteins and contributes to direct and indirect diagnosis of disease states , such as multiple myeloma, liver disease, acute phase reactions, AIDS, angiocardial diseases, etc.
The current technological methods for electrophoresis are two:
  • Substrate gel electrophoresis such as agarose-natural polysaccharide (electrophoresis gel)
  • Capillary electrophoresis