Protein Production & Nanobody Discovery Services
Our core facility provides integrated services for the discovery, production, and characterization of small biomolecules, with particular expertise in single-domain antibodies (VHHs or nanobodies). We support biotech and pharmaceutical partners with streamlined, milestone-driven workflows that translate target concepts into validated binders suitable for research, diagnostic, or therapeutic development.
The process begins with antigen preparation and camelid immunization. We assist in antigen design and quality control to ensure structural integrity and immunogenicity. Immunizations are performed in camelids such as alpaca or llama, enabling the generation of heavy-chain-only antibody responses. Peripheral blood lymphocytes are collected and used to construct high-quality immune VHH libraries.
Target-specific binders are enriched through phage display panning, with selection conditions tailored to soluble proteins, membrane targets, or whole cells. Following selection, individual clones are screened by ELISA to identify specific and high-affinity binders. Positive clones are sequenced, clustered into families, and ranked based on specificity and performance.
Selected nanobodies are recombinantly expressed and purified using affinity chromatography followed by FPLC or HPLC polishing steps. Purity, aggregation state, and yield are assessed to ensure suitability for downstream applications. Binding kinetics and affinity are determined by surface plasmon resonance using platforms such as Biacore, allowing precise measurement of association and dissociation rates.
Functional validation is performed using flow cytometry for cell-surface targets and tailored in vitro assays to assess blocking, neutralization, or activation effects. This ensures that selected binders demonstrate both biochemical affinity and biological relevance.
Finally, we provide conjugation services for fluorophores, enzymes, drug payloads, or radionuclides. Conjugation strategies are optimized to preserve binding performance and stability, supporting applications in imaging, diagnostics, and exploratory therapeutic development.
Our facility combines academic expertise with industry-oriented quality standards, offering flexible service models and confidential project handling to accelerate biomolecule development from discovery to validated candidate.