Ask an Expert: Get ready for the future of microcalorimetry measurements
Join our upcoming Ask an Expert! webinar to learn how to optimize your microcalorimetry measurements
What is microcalorimetry?
Microcalorimetry (ITC and DSC) are the gold standards for biomolecular interactions and biomolecular stability. It measures the heat changes that occur in a sample during biomolecular interactions or unfolding events. Its uses include the discovery of groundbreaking new drugs and the thermal stability of novel biomolecules. Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) can even look at live cells and nanoparticles and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) can be used as a diagnostic tool for certain types of diseases.
In fact, the most surprising thing about studying really tiny amounts of heat is how useful it is – which you’ll know if you’ve ever tried to explain microcalorimetry to someone else! It’s incredibly helpful to be able to watch biomolecular interactions happen in real-time, especially as the thermodynamic data obtained can give a picture of the changes going on – for example, transitions from the free to the bound state, or a biomolecule going from the folded to the unfolded state. And all that in solution, without any labeling or immobilization of the sample!
MicroCal: New solutions
Malvern Panalytical’s MicroCal instruments, the PEAQ-ITC and PEAQ-DSC, accommodate both isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) respectively. Both techniques rely on calculating the difference in temperature over time between the sample cell and a reference cell. The main difference between the two is that ITC is most commonly used to detect the heat effects of binding as a ligand is added. In contrast, DSC is most often used to measure the stability of a formulation or the thermal transitions of polymeric materials.
The latest iterations of these instruments have been carefully designed to address some of the most pressing issues in the field of microcalorimetry today: maintaining reliable measurement across a wide range of binding affinities, data quality, and the interpretation of more complex binding data.
Ask an Expert! how to get the most from your results!
The versatility of these techniques, and all those many applications we mentioned, mean that everything depends on how they’re used. So what’s the best way to go about it?
On October 20, field application scientist Raul Pacheco Gomez will host our Ask an Expert! webinar, where you can ask any questions you might have about microcalorimetry. Raul will explain tips and tricks on how to set up your experiments for success, as well as share his expertise on how to get the best possible data, how to work with non-aqueous buffers, and of course, what to do if something goes wrong!
Better tools make data interpretation easier, so Raul will also be teaching you how to get the most out of the latest MicroCal analysis software – and you don’t want to miss this part. It offers automated data analysis, saving you a lot of time. So, register now and make sure you don’t miss it!
Have questions? You can submit them ahead of time to askanexpert@malvernpanalytical.com to make sure they get answered, or ask them during the session!
Previous posts
- Microcalorimetry: A versatile tool for the characterization of biomolecular interactions
- Ask an expert – ITC for organic solvents: Tips for success with this trending application in chemistry and life sciences
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