ELISA

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a workhorse immunochemical test used for measurement of antigen and antibody. Our laboratory has extensive experience in de novo development of new ELISA tests. The most common format used by the laboratory is the antigen-capture (a.k.a. sandwich) assay for detection of antigen. This test is especially useful for diagnosis of infectious diseases. The test is quantitative and tells us how much antigen is present in a urine or serum sample from humans or infected animals. Knowing antigen concentration in clinically relevant samples is critical for assay development because this information defines the assay sensitivity needed for diagnosis of disease.

ELISA format assays are also common tests used in diagnosis of disease. The ELISA platform has the advantage of high sensitivity and the ability to screen large numbers of samples. As a consequence, the ELISA is favored by large reference laboratories.

The laboratory does direct in-house labeling of antibodies with various enzyme labels. Equipment used in various aspects of ELISA development and use include a plate reader and plate washer. In addition, the laboratory  includes a dedicated serology suite for processing and analyzing human and animal samples at BSL-2.