Top Ten Major Pharma uses Syngene Imaging System To Accurately Identify Unique Proteins on 2D Gels

June 14 2006 Cambridge, UK: Cambridge, UK: Syngene, a world-leading manufacturer of image analysis solutions, is pleased to announce a Syngene automated multi-functional imaging system is being used by a leading US pharmaceutical company to help increase the pace of discovering novel protein drug targets.

Researchers at the pharma are using the Syngene imaging system to automatically assess around 150 2D protein gels per week. These gels are up to 26 cm x 26 cm and are stained with dyes including Sypro Orange, Sypro Ruby, Sybr Green, Coomassie Blue and Pro-Q Diamond. This is helping the scientists at the company to rapidly identify unique proteins associated with a number of debilitating human conditions including arthritis and heart disease.

A Senior Scientist at the US pharma said: “The high resolution images the Syngene imaging system produces is enabling us to locate nanogram quantities of unique proteins on gels, which can have as many as 2,500 different protein spots on them. “

“We installed the Syngene imaging system because it is the only one which is flexible enough to accommodate our Clare Chemical’s Dark Reader, as well as allow us to accurately image very large gels stained with lots of different types of dyes. Around 13 people use the system routinely not just for gels but for Western blots too. Syngene is very responsive with their support and service of the system and because we are so pleased with its performance we have installed a second Syngene imaging system,” continued the Scientist.

Laura Sullivan, Syngene’s Divisional Manager commented: “We are excited to see a Syngene system being used in drug discovery research at one of the world’s leading pharma companies. The levels of sensitivity the researchers are achieving using both visible and fluorescent proteomics dyes confirms that for analysing 2D protein gels a Syngene imaging system is an effective alternative to laser-based scanners.”

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For Further Information Contact:
Jayne Arthur, Syngene, Beacon House, Nuffield Road, Cambridge, CB4 1TF, UK.
Tel: +44 (0)1223-727123 Fax +44 (0)1223-727101
Email: jayne.arthur@syngene.com  Web site: www.syngene.com 

Editor Contact:
Dr Sue Pearson, PO Box 170, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 3GD, UK.
Tel/Fax + 44 (0)1462-635327 Email: sue6.pearson@ntlworld.com

Note to Editors

About Syngene

Syngene is a world-leading supplier of integrated imaging solutions for analysis and documentation of gel-based information. Syngene’s systems are used by more than 10,000 research organisations and over 50,000 individual scientists worldwide and include many of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies and major research institutes.

Syngene, founded in 1997 is a division of the Cambridge based Synoptics Group. The Group’s other divisions, Syncroscopy and Synbiosis, specialise in digital imaging solutions for microscopy and microbial applications respectively. Synoptics currently employs 60 people in its UK and subsidiary operation in Frederick, USA.