ELISA Advanced Course

Content & Learning Objective

In this ELISA course, you will be introduced to the possibilities of ELISA techniques in theory and practically, and you will develop the competence to establish these techniques in your laboratory. The theoretical module covers the possibilities and parameters of different methods while in the practical parts, you will use these to solve an analytical problem (determination of the degree of contamination in a product using a biochemical assay). In order to do so, you independently establish an ELISA system and you optimize it under assistance. Thereafter, a systematical error analysis is discussed and possible short-comings of the system are identified and removed.

The course covers:

• Short introduction to ELISA techniques and definition of important vocabulary
• Assay formats
• Components of ELISA systems
• Generation of antibody conjugates
• Possibilities for optimization of components
• Choice of optimal ELISA concepts
• Optimization of robustness and stability of the test system
• Development strategy – from assessment of demand to the final assay
• Determination of capacity – verification and validation of an ELISA
• Trouble shooting by systematic error analysis
• Standardization

Target Group

Technical and scientific staff members, who want to establish or optimize new ELISA techniques or who want to develop an ELISA for sales.

Teacher

Dr. Matthias Herkert studied biology in Heidelberg and received his Ph.D. for the biochemical characterization of metalloproteinases. Afterwards, he worked at the Center of Molecular Biology Heidelberg (ZMBH) and later at the Emil-Fischer Center at the University Erlangen-Nürnberg. In 2001, he joined mtm laboratories. There, he was responsible for the development of diagnostic assays for the early detection of cervical cancer. Since 2008, Dr. Herkert has been working for DRG Instruments in Marburg in the field of ELISA development.