Office for Research and Graduate Studies (ORAGS)

Cytokine Lab

The University of Maryland Cytokine Core Laboratory (CCL) was established March 31, 1995 The CCL is an academic-based fee-for-service laboratory dedicated to providing a high quality, low cost cytokine and growth factor measurement service.  The CCL has performed cytokine assay services for many University of Maryland intramural investigators and many extramural investigators from across the United States, including NIH intramural investigators, and from several other countries.

The CCL’s operating model utilizes ELISA and multianalyte assays (Luminex technology) that are constructed and optimized in-house using individual high-quality commercial reagents, rather than pre-packaged kits. The CCL currently obtains immunologic reagents from five different vendors, which provides the flexibility to choose the best performing reagent combinations and optimize each cytokine assay. This operating model also avoids dependence on a single vendor, should problems with reagent delivery or quality control arise. Every effort is made to continue using the same reagents for each assay to provide high inter-assay reproducibility over time. Cross-lot (and if necessary cross-supplier) validation/calibration of reagents is routinely performed. The use of robotics to set up assays insures high precision and high throughput.

The pricing structure of the CCL is based on high volume and low profit margin. The high volume also allows us to negotiate for lower reagent costs, providing further reductions in the final price of our assays.  The CCL has experience in handling orders from multiple investigators with sizes of orders that vary up to 2000 samples per order and up to 6000 samples per year from individual investigators. In FY 2004, the CCL processed 60,000 samples from over 100 different investigators. The CCL is proud of its large number of repeat customers and its growth through “word of mouth” advertising by satisfied customers.

Equipment: The CCL utilizes the following major equipment located in its MSTF laboratory: Biomek 1000 robotic workstations (3 units), BioTek automatic plate washers (3), Molecular Devices Thermo Max microplate reader, Luminex 100 Multianalyte System (1 with 1 additional back-up on campus), walk-in coldroom, Forma –80°C freezers with generator and liquid nitrogen back-up and audible and automated telephone temperature alarms (2 units with additional back-up unit available), plate shakers (3 units), and incubators (2 units).

Personnel: The laboratory is directed by Dr. Jeffrey D. Hasday, Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and a senior scientist with 20 years experience in cytokine research. The laboratory is supervised by Ms. Lisa Hester, B.S./M.B.A. who has 8 years experience as the CCL supervisor. Ms. Hester is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the laboratory, generating work schedules, assigning work to the laboratory staff, reviewing all data for potential technical errors, communicating with individual investigators, assuring maintenance of records of sample receipt date, type of sample, storage of sample (frozen vs. fresh), condition of sample on arrival, and assays requested, as well as quality control data, including equipment calibration records, validation of new reagent lots and lots stored for more than 6 months, and troubleshooting of technical problems and discussing these with Dr. Hasday. The current staff also comprises one full-time technician experienced with performing immunoassays, Marilynn Gordon, B.A., who is also responsible for monitoring Good Laboratory Practice procedures, including bi-annual measurement of normal control values. Beth Guizzardi is the Account Manager.

Assays Available:

HUMAN: IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12(p70), IL-12(p40), IL-13, IL-15, GMCSF, IFN-gamma, TNFalpha, Eotaxin, MCP-1, RANTES, MIP-1alpha, IP-10

MOUSE: IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, KC, IL-10, IL-12 (p70), IL-12 (p40), IL-13, GMCSF, IFN-gamma, TNFalpha, MCP-1, RANTES

Pricing:

Number of Cytokines                       10-20 samples*                      21-200 samples*

3 plex                                                   $44.00                                     $40.00

4 plex                                                   $49.50                                     $45.00

5 plex                                                   $55.00                                     $50.00

6 plex                                                   $59.50                                     $54.00

7 plex                                                   $64.00                                     $58.00

8 plex                                                   $68.00                                     $62.00

9 plex                                                   $72.50                                     $66.00

10 plex                                                 $77.00                                     $70.00

*Price is per samples

11-22 plex                                           $7.70/cytokine/sample            $7.00/cytokine/sample

Minimum of 10 Samples
Please call for bulk discounts
All on campus customers will receive a 10% discount off of the above pricing.

Contact Information:

Lisa Hester, Lab supervisor  (6-1508)   MSTF 8-64A
Lhest001@umaryland.edu
http://www.cytokines.com

Satisfied Customers:

Dean Mann, MD                      Department of Pathology
Stefanie Vogel, Ph.D.              Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Alan Cross, MD                       Department of Medicine
Alan Shuldiner, MD                 Department of Medicine

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