CAR-T cell therapy research for B cell cancers must meet FDA guidelines for safety, efficacy, and stability. Accurate testing, including cytokine assays, is essential to avoid risks such as cytokine-release syndrome in research settings. Development of cell and gene therapy research faces multiple bottlenecks, especially in the characterization and QC processes, which are traditionally manual and time-consuming. The need for an automated solution to streamline the research workflow and minimize manual intervention is critical to improving throughput and consistency. Automation of multiplexed immunoassays, like the Luminex xMAP® Technology-based Invitrogen™ ProcartaPlex™ immunoassay with Thermo Scientific™ KingFisher Apex Purification system, may offer ease of use and significantly reduce hands-on time requirements to evaluate cellular expansion in research settings. In QC processes, the KingFisher Apex system can be utilized with Applied Biosystems™ MagMAX™ chemistries to isolate DNA and RNA sequentially from a single supernatant, allowing streamlined workflows for assessment of quality performance in cell cultures in research settings. In this webinar, we will discuss innovative approaches to future CAR-T cell therapy development workflows by deploying automation and innovative sample preparation solutions to improve productivity and efficiency.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Automation of cell therapy research workflows from discovery to preclinical stages.

2. Quantification of CAR-T targeted killing in research settings with multiplexed immunoassays on automation instruments.

3. Preservation of sample while enhancing productivity and workflows during QC of cell cultures post-transduction within future cell therapy development workflows.

Dr. Stephen will cover the process of developing and manufacturing reliable Luminex biomarker assays, as well as using those assays to test samples. She will examine the development of Ampersand Biosciences ferret and hamster cytokine panels: two panels developed with the support from two SBIR contracts to develop reagents for these important models of disease. She will also discuss their new flavivirus serological panel that detects IgG to viruses such as Zika virus, dengue, and equine encephalitis. Her presentation will focus on strategic antibody and sample selection, as well as the development and validation of assays tailored to your specific research needs. She will follow up with key factors related to sample testing both for home brew assays and purchased kits. In the end, attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to optimize the power of multiplexing in their own lab.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Learn about the development of serological and sandwich assays using Luminex technology.

2. Gain insight into the scale of Luminex assay manufacture and validation.

3. Review key factors needed for accurate sample testing.

Luminex xMAP^® Technology is a powerful bead-based multiplexing platform capable of simultaneously detecting and quantifying up to 500 distinct analytes in a single sample. Utilizing color-coded microspheres conjugated to specific capture molecules, xMAP enables precise and efficient analysis of complex biological samples. Detection is achieved through fluorescent labeling and flow cytometry-based readout, providing high-resolution data on target concentration. With over three decades of proven performance, xMAP has become the benchmark for high-throughput multiplexing across diverse applications—from translational research to clinical diagnostics. This presentation will highlight recent innovations and applications of xMAP Technology, showcasing its versatility in biomarker discovery, immunogenicity testing, and assay development for clinical trials. Attendees will gain insights into how xMAP supports scalable, sensitive, and flexible assay design, making it an ideal platform for developing next-generation diagnostic tools and personalized medicine strategies.