Surface Plasmon Resonance Spectroscopy Instrument

• Subject Area: Basic Research in Biology and Medicine
• Term: Funded in 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 566344157

The requested surface plasmon resonance (SPR) instrument will be utilized to study interactions between proteins, DNA, small molecules, lipids, antibodies, and even virus particles, supporting several DFG-funded research consortia at the University of Cologne. Its acquisition will not only replace outdated instrumentation lacking technical support but also enable small molecule screening to identify potential drug candidates for counteracting disease processes or to evaluate their efficacy in modulating molecular interactions. The new SPR will be equipped with the latest software and protocol developments and can be used for a wide range of applications, including affinity, concentration, kinetics, and thermodynamic constants can be reliably determined without the use of a label on the binding partner. Importantly, interactions and biochemical processes can be studied in real time, thereby providing dynamic insights into molecular mechanisms. The instrument will also enable the investigation of protein-protein, protein-DNA, and protein or DNA-small molecule interactions. It will allow researchers to assess how small molecules may modulate these interactions, which is essential for understanding disease mechanisms and developing targeted therapeutic strategies. Advanced software and protocol developments, such as the Poly command, will be further support for the advanced analytical characterization of protein complex formation. The applied instrument also includes a serial flow cell configuration, allowing flow cells to be connected in series. This setup permits the conduction of more complex experiments and more accurate kinetic measurements with a limited sample volume. In addition to high-throughput screening, the simultaneous availability of six flow cells enables rapid assay development, minimizing instrument time for individual research projects and facilitating usage by multiple groups. Its high sample capacity and unattended runtime of up to 72 hours guarantee adequate measurement availability for all participating working groups. The intuitive control and evaluation software ensures straightforward instrument operation and data interpretation. Obtained data can be easily shared and accessed by multiple users across the campus via a server-based SQL database, promoting collaborative research efforts

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Oberflächenplasmonenresonanzspektroskopie Instrument
• Instrumentation Group: 3160 Biomolekular-Interaktionssysteme
• Applicant Institution: Universität zu Köln
• Leader: Professor Dr. Gerhard Sengle