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If you've determined that you need an instrument that can characterize protein stability, there are steps you
can take to find out which one would be right for your lab. The thought of purchasing new technology can be
overwhelming, since it's a costly investment and significant decision for your lab. Plus, costs aside, there are so
many screening tools to choose from. How do you know which one to pick?
Before diving into the various considerations related to the purchase, take the time to think about your needs and
how the instrument could fit into your established workflow. What are your research or project goals? What is most
important to you? What are your biggest problems and bottlenecks in your workflow?
The technology can be used many different ways – it all really depends on the needs of the lab.
In academia, for example, some labs may want use a technology to test the stability of a purified protein as part of
their characterization studies. In this case, throughput is not a concern. Therefore, an academic scientist may want
to purchase an instrument that sacrifices a higher throughput for a lower cost. But industry researchers, who need
to collect high-quality, comprehensive data on protein stability, solubility, and aggregation, will need to consider
throughput and data quality when selecting an instrument. These labs may opt for more sophisticated technology
that captures the results they require and can be automated to increase throughput and save time.
Depending on your lab's needs, you may want to consider a combination of several features, including the:
• Volume of sample required
• Sample format
• Number of samples per run
• Temperature range
• Heating rate range
• Automated capabilities
• Concentration range
• Detection limits (both low and high ends)
• Aggregation
• Maximum throughput per day
