Explore our resources by research/diagnostic specialty or content type
ALPCO specialists are leveraging their extensive expertise to create a growing collection of resources for your research and testing. Find resources that benefit your work using the handy filters.
Melatonin is an endogenously expressed hormone present in a wide spectrum of organisms from bacteria to humans. Primarily secreted by the pineal gland, melatonin enters the circulation via cerebrospinal fluid and plays a key role in the regulation of the sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin levels help modulate mood, reproduction, and immune system activities. The rise and fall of circulating level...
On-boarding of new assays is critical for menu expansion and revenue growth, but the validation of a new assay requires a significant investment of time and resources. Proper planning can reduce errors and delays, minimizing validation time and reducing the impact on normal operations. Below are a few planning suggestions to help avoid common pitfalls and make the implementation of new assays a...
The use of the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique has assisted both clinical and research laboratories in quantifying analytes of interest in heterogeneous samples. The sensitivity and specificity achievable with immunoassays are often ideal for biomarker testing. However, manually performing ELISAs is typically labor intensive and reliant on technique that can vary by user. La...
The Diabetes Pandemic
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization, more than 34 million Americans and 422 million people worldwide have diabetes.1,2 90 to 95% of people with diabetes have type 2.1 The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) estimates that more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults (~84 million) have prediabetes...
Chemiluminescence ELISA technology offers enhanced sensitivity with a very broad dynamic range. However, consistency in assay technique is especially important to ensure optimal performance from day-to-day and operator-to-operator. The following six tips may help to improve intra-assay and inter-assay precision when performing chemiluminescence immunoassays.
Tip 1: Use a Pipette to Transfer A...
Molecular GI testing for bacteria such as salmonella, vibrio, and E. coli, and viral pathogens including norovirus and rotavirus, is instrumental in the diagnosis and treatment of infection and dysbiosis. In addition, many gastrointestinal disorders often require protein biomarker tests to aid in accurate detection and diagnosis. ALPCO has worked with several clinical testing labs to incorporat...
Pancreatic Islets of Langerhans function as a micro-organ with tightly coordinated hormone signaling between the different cell types. Understanding the network of islet cells is important in the fight against diabetes because of their relationship with glucose homeostasis.
Download our research review to learn about:
The five types of pancreatic islet cells
Pancreatic islet hormone bi...
While sending out for calprotectin testing offers some cost and convenience advantages when volumes are very low, bringing the process in-house allows for the opportunity to control costs, turnaround time, and quality. Considering costs and potential revenue, the volume at which in-house calprotectin testing makes sense may be lower than you think.
How to Increase Profitability with In-house C...
The Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is a proven sensitive method for detecting and quantifying specific biomarkers in a wide range of clinical and research samples. The accuracy and precision of ELISAs can be affected by many factors, including pipetting, washing, and sample-handling techniques. The experts at ALPCO have assembled some tips to remember, tricks to try, and demonstratio...
Whether your clinical laboratory is transitioning over to the ALPCO Calprotectin Chemiluminescence ELISA from another calprotectin assay or starting to run the test in-house for the first time, validation is the most crucial step in the assay implementation process. We understand that validating a new ELISA can be a constant balancing act of keeping current laboratory operations functioning whi...
