New method developed to promote best-practice evaluation of research antibodies
Cambridge, UK – January 10, 2025 – Abcam, together with the Montreal Neurological Institute (The Neuro), at McGill University and other major antibody manufacturers, are pleased to announce the publication of a pioneering open science platform to characterize research antibodies. The approach was published in Nature Protocols on December 17, 2024.
The publication aims to set out an industry standard for antibody characterization that will enable researchers to effectively compare performance of antibodies in various applications, and ultimately support enhanced reliability and reproducibility of scientific research.
Peter McPherson, Carl Laflamme, and Riham Ayoubi – lead scientists on the study – developed the antibody characterization platform under the public-good initiative YCharOS (Antibody Characterization through Open Science). For any given protein target, YCharOS compares all commercially available antibodies from their industry partners in side-by-side testing. This standardized characterization process involves knockout (KO) cell lines and evaluates antibodies across key applications such as immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence. Industry partners have contributed antibodies and KO cell lines, enabling comprehensive antibody characterization of approximately 80% of renewable antibodies accessible in commercial catalogs. This initiative marks the first large-scale collaboration among competitors in the antibody industry.
To date, the YCharOS team has tested approximately 1,200 antibodies against 120 protein targets. The 11 antibody manufacturers involved, coupled with an additional KO cell supplier, have collectively contributed over $2 million in-kind to the project.
Antibodies, essential tools in life sciences, are typically used to detect or capture specific proteins in complex biological samples. However, many antibodies currently available—among the 7.7 million produced by commercial manufacturers—lack adequate specificity, leading to off-target effects. The resulting impact is significant, with an estimated $1 billion of research funding wasted annually on non-specific antibodies.
Ravindran Kumaran, Neuroscience Lead and Collaborations Manager at Abcam commented: “To have confidence in their data, researchers need to be able to trust the antibodies they use. As an antibody supplier to two thirds of the world’s life scientists, we have a responsibility to help set the standard for antibody quality and to support researchers in identifying the best antibody for their needs. We’re proud to have been able to contribute to this protocols paper which we believe will help improve reproducibility across the life science sector and help our customers advance their research faster.”
Chetan Raina, CEO of YCharOS Inc. commented: “The enthusiastic involvement of our corporate partners demonstrates their commitment to providing only high-quality reagents to the research community.”
The protocols outlined in the new article are now being employed at a second YCharOS site at Leicester University in the UK, led by Drs. Harvinder Virk and Micheal Biddle, where researchers are using these methods to test antibodies in additional applications.
The publication, ‘A consensus platform for antibody characterization’ is available online, here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41596-024-01095-8
—ENDS—
About Abcam
At Abcam, we believe that the scientific community goes further, faster, when we go there together. And to keep on making ground-breaking discoveries, we need to work together in new ways. That’s why we’re constantly innovating to help scientists drive their research forward by providing products and solutions that play an essential role in fundamental research, drug discovery, diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
We started with a simple mission: to provide the best biological reagents to life scientists worldwide. Today, we help 750,000 researchers in over 130 countries deliver faster breakthroughs in areas like cancer, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, and metabolic disorders.
To find out more, visit us at www.abcam.com and corporate.abcam.com.
