Liquid Biopsy Prep and Analysis

Solutions to help advance your oncology research from discovery to clinical commercialization

Liquid biopsy research has emerged as a promising area in the oncology field. As a less invasive approach to tissue biopsies, liquid biopsies contain a heterogenous mixture of biomolecules and have the potential to revolutionize the cancer world by providing us insight into the prevention, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of cancer. Advancements are constantly unfolding and as the area continues to grow, researchers are looking for reliable multi-analyte approaches to study cancer and its complexity. Thermo Fisher Scientific provides end-to-end oncology research workflow solutions that enable various liquid biopsy applications. Find robust sample preparation tools and automated technologies to help drive results in your fight against cancer.

Begin your liquid biopsy workflow with automated sample purification technology that helps provide consistent and reliable downstream results.

Nucleic acid isolation: total, genomic and cell-free DNA & RNA

Nucleic acids found in liquid biopsies offer insight into early cancer detection and treatment response by revealing chromosomal abnormalities, gene mutations, and epigenetic changes, serving as essential research tools for cancer screening, diagnosis, and monitoring, as well as for developing targeted therapies and personalized medicines. While tumor tissue is the standard for diagnosis, less invasive liquid biopsies from blood, urine, and saliva are becoming increasingly used for biomarker analysis studies. Effective isolation techniques are crucial to solve for common purification challenges with low concentrations of target isolates, limited sample volumes, and tedious sample processing.

Cell-free and FFPE

Achieve high-quality nucleic acid yield and purity from liquid biopsy and tissue samples. Our MagMAX Cell-free and FFPE isolation kits are optimized for efficient nucleic acid isolation with a design that provides workflow flexibility and compatibility with key downstream cancer genomic analyses.

Nucleic acid isolation for hematological cancer research

Maximize precious samples and streamline your workflow with sequential isolation of DNA and RNA from a single blood or bone marrow sample.

Automated nucleic acid isolation kits

MagMAX magnetic bead isolation technology facilitates automated nucleic acid extraction from diverse biological sample types, offering efficient and versatile kit protocols that accommodate both low and high throughput workflows.

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Circulating tumor cell isolation and enrichment

Analyzing circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from liquid biopsies is important in cancer research for disease monitoring studies. With such low number of CTCs in circulation, highly sensitive methods are necessary to capture and detect down to single cells. Dynabeads magnetic bead technology enhances this process by using antibody-coated beads to selectively bind and isolate target cells when exposed to a magnetic field. This method allows for efficient separation and analysis of CTCs, helping provide insights into minimal residual disease testing and cancer characteristics, mutations, and treatment responses, which are essential for personalized medicine.

Positive isolation of CTCs

Isolate and detect circulating or residual cancer cells with sensitive and accurate methods that help ensure high cell viability and yield.

Enrichment of CTCs by leukocyte depletion

Now with enhanced chemistry and performance, achieve untouched circulating tumor cell (CTC) enrichment through efficient depletion of human CD45-positive cells from whole blood, buffy coat, or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).

Cell isolation and separation

Learn more about cell isolation through positive separation, negative separation, and depletion methods using magnetic beads. Find resources and kits to help improve your isolation protocols.

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Extracellular vesicle isolation

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles (EV) released by cells into various body fluids, carrying nucleic acids and proteins that facilitate intercellular signaling. When secreted from cancer cells, exosomes transport molecular cargo between primary and secondary tumors, potentially influencing growth, invasion, and drug resistance. As a result, exosomes are emerging as a source of valuable information for research into metastatic cancers. However, isolation and analysis of exosomes and their subpopulations can be challenging due to their small size and specificity. Leveraging targeted and sensitive isolation, detection, and analysis techniques can help address these challenges.

Isolate, detect and analyze

Explore exosome isolation, detection, and analysis tools and methods that support an array of workflow applications and needs.

Exosome enrichment

Isolate intact exosomes from liquid biopsy samples such as serum, plasma and urine with a rapid and efficient enrichment and release method that maintains exosome integrity and reduces low yield risk.

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Protein isolation for biomarker identification and clinical advancements

The study of proteins relevant to cancer helps provide crucial insights into cancer mechanisms, aiding in the identification of biomarkers, understanding tumor biology, and monitoring disease progression. Reliable protein isolation using modern technologies is essential to achieve the purity and yield needed for accurate downstream protein analysis that may ultimately support with the identification of therapeutic targets and development of diagnostic and prognostic tools.

Immunoprecipitation using magnetic beads

Learn more about an advanced immunoprecipitation method that helps provide high-purity protein yields with enhanced reproducibility as compared to traditional methods.

DynaGreen beads for immunoprecipitation

DynaGreen magnetic beads enable consistent and sustainable isolation of proteins and complexes through a simple and efficient bind-incubate-elute protocol, offering high yield, reproducibility, and sample purity.

Streptavidin beads for protein capture

When paired with a biotinylated probe or ligand, Dynabeads streptavidin magnetic beads can capture, isolate, and further process target proteins through direct or indirect techniques. A range of products are available, tailored to meet your downstream assay requirements.

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Automated liquid biopsy sample preparation

As liquid biopsy sampling and analysis advance into clinical applications, efficient and reliable workflow solutions are becoming increasingly crucial. Automating sample processing upfront of downstream analysis can help researchers increase consistency and generate reproducible results needed for clinical research and diagnostic product development.

Automate your sample prep

Isolate and purify DNA, RNA, cells, exosomes, and proteins using a single automated purification instrument. Stay flexible with multianalyte isolation options and customizable protocols.

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Cancer genomic and transcriptomic analysis

Molecular analysis of cancer through liquid biopsies is helping researchers understand its complexities in development and progression. Cancer genomic and cancer transcriptomic approaches in molecular profiling enable improved biomarker discovery which may lead to future identification and validation of diagnostic, predictive, prognostic, and therapeutic cancer biomarkers. Continued technological innovation with enhanced specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility has the potential to take liquid biopsy techniques into clinical practice.

Qubit fluorometric quantification

Verify adequate quantity of DNA, RNA, or protein for your downstream application. Achieve fast, accurate, and precise quantification of these analytes within a sample using a Qubit Fluorometer. 

Digital PCR for rare mutation detection

Enable precise detection and quantification of oncogenic mutations with sensitive dPCR assays designed for liquid biopsy analysis.

TaqMan assays

Achieve qPCR and dPCR results with the specificity, sensitivity, and reproducibility needed for liquid biopsy research applications. Choose from preconfigured panels or customize to your specific target and throughput needs.

Automate your NGS workflow

The Genexus System provides an efficient hands-off NGS solution by automating the main steps in the overall workflow, including liquid biopsy sample prep and oncology NGS testing. Automate your NGS workflow to scale up testing and increase reproducibility.

Custom targeted NGS testing panels

Streamline and simplify your NGS workflow by amplifying a targeted genomic region of interest with Ion AmpliSeq technology. Ion AmpliSeq HD panels are especially well-suited for NGS tests with liquid biopsy samples.

Liquid biopsy cell-free assays

Gain insight into the genomic makeup of tumors with targeted NGS cfNA assays. Find multi-cancer and tumor-type specific gene coverage to fit your clinical research needs.

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Analyzing cells and proteins as predictive and prognostic biomarkers

Analyzing cancer cells and their proteins enables researchers to understand the complex interactions and characteristics of tumors. Visualization of these cells and their contents provides us a view into specific cancer biology and treatment effects. At the protein level, we can reveal information around protein targets and signaling pathways related to cancer growth and metastasis. Proteomics, the large-scale study of proteins, has emerged as a key area in liquid biopsy research. Integrating proteomic data into liquid biopsy may enhance its utility by detecting and quantifying cancer-specific proteins and related biomarkers. As research progresses, understanding cell-to-cell interactions will help identify communication defects that alter normal cellular functions.

Mass spec reagents for protein quantitation

Quantify even low levels of proteins from cells, tissues, or biofluids with our mass spec protein quantitation systems. Our solutions support both targeted and discovery protein quantitation that is accurate and scalable.

Sample prep reagents for protein quantitation

Improve results with sample preparation reagents designed for proteomic mass spectrometry helping to generate reproducible and clean results for analysis.

Cellular analysis with flow cytometry

Combine high-speed flow cytometry with high-resolution imaging to deliver detailed cellular analysis and advanced research capabilities, all with user-friendly software and flexible configurations.

Cellular imaging for tumor cells

Facilitate detailed visualization and analysis of cellular structures and processes with cellular imaging instruments, antibodies, reagents, and software tools for use with live or fixed cells.

Multiplex protein biomarker analysis

Accurately detect and quantify up to 80 protein targets in a single sample. Choose from preconfigured panels to study hallmarks of cancer and exosome characterization, or customize the panel to suit your needs. 

Effective biomarker validation by western blotting

From high-throughput, high loading capacity precast gels to fast, efficient protein transfer, automated blot processing, and powerful image capture and analysis, our western blotting workflow solutions offer a solid foundation for efficient, sensitive, and reproducible analysis and validation of liquid biopsy markers.

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OEM and commercial supply

OEM, commercial supply, and customized solutions will become increasingly important as clinical utility of liquid biopsy evolves to help ensure consistent access to reagents, assays, and instruments necessary for accurate and reliable biomarker detection. This consistency is key for developing and scaling diagnostic tests, maintaining regulatory compliance, and accelerating time to market. Reliable supply chains and specialized support from OEM partners help streamline product development and help ensure the robustness and reproducibility of liquid biopsy tests, ultimately enhancing their clinical utility and patient outcomes.

Dynabeads technology

Dynabeads magnetic beads offer versatile applications across diagnostics, therapeutics, and preventative healthcare, making them excellent for commercial product development. With over 35 years of expertise, Dynabeads Technology—OEM provides comprehensive support, from bead selection and protocol optimization to bulk manufacturing.

Molecular diagnostics

Bring your molecular diagnostic test to market with advanced technologies and robust commercialization support. Leverage high-quality instruments, reagents, and consumables to streamline your assay development.

Immunodiagnostics

Accelerate your diagnostic development from discovery to commercialization with comprehensive support. Gain access to commercial-use rights, expert consultation, and robust product development and quality assurance services to successfully develop and commercialize your immunodiagnostic assay.

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For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.