Environmentally-Friendly PCR Reagent
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Empirical Bioscience, (formerly known as Syzygy Biotech™), a company that produces high-grade PCR reagents and enzymes, announced today that it has introduced FlashTaq HotStart Hot-Start Taq DNA Polymerase, a chemically-modified Taq polymerase designed to reduce non-specific amplification in PCR. The enzyme offers, fewer contamination issues and fast activation time.
In fact, under standard hot start conditions it can be activated and the enzyme recovers both 5’-3’ polymerase and 5’-exonuclease activities within two minutes versus the ten minutes of activation time required by many competitors’ enzymes.
“Unlike traditional non-hot start Taq which can become active at room temperature and begin to amplify non-specifically and form primer-dimers, FlashTaq HotStart will not become active until the temperature and time threshold has been reached, thus reducing the likelihood of non-specific amplification and primer-dimer formation,” said Pushpaja Dodla, Molecular Biologist, Empirical Bioscience.
Empirical Bioscience, (formerly known as Syzygy Biotech™), a company that produces high-grade PCR reagents and enzymes, announced today that it has introduced FlashTaq HotStart Hot-Start Taq DNA Polymerase, a chemically-modified Taq polymerase designed to reduce non-specific amplification in PCR. The enzyme offers, fewer contamination issues and fast activation time.
In fact, under standard hot start conditions it can be activated and the enzyme recovers both 5’-3’ polymerase and 5’-exonuclease activities within two minutes versus the ten minutes of activation time required by many competitors’ enzymes.
“Unlike traditional non-hot start Taq which can become active at room temperature and begin to amplify non-specifically and form primer-dimers, FlashTaq HotStart will not become active until the temperature and time threshold has been reached, thus reducing the likelihood of non-specific amplification and primer-dimer formation,” said Pushpaja Dodla, Molecular Biologist, Empirical Bioscience.
Empirical Bioscience, (formerly known as Syzygy Biotech™), a company that produces high-grade PCR reagents and enzymes, announced today that it has introduced FlashTaq HotStart Hot-Start Taq DNA Polymerase, a chemically-modified Taq polymerase designed to reduce non-specific amplification in PCR. The enzyme offers, fewer contamination issues and fast activation time.
In fact, under standard hot start conditions it can be activated and the enzyme recovers both 5’-3’ polymerase and 5’-exonuclease activities within two minutes versus the ten minutes of activation time required by many competitors’ enzymes.
“Unlike traditional non-hot start Taq which can become active at room temperature and begin to amplify non-specifically and form primer-dimers, FlashTaq HotStart will not become active until the temperature and time threshold has been reached, thus reducing the likelihood of non-specific amplification and primer-dimer formation,” said Pushpaja Dodla, Molecular Biologist, Empirical Bioscience.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Pushpaja Dodla
Molecular Biologist
Empirical Bioscience
Pushpaja.Dodla@empiricalbioscience.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEAS
(GRAND RAPIDS, MICH)—March 4, 2014—Empirical Bioscience, (formerly known as Syzygy Biotech™), a company that produces high-grade PCR reagents and enzymes, announced today that it has introduced FlashTaq HotStart Hot-Start Taq DNA Polymerase, a chemically-modified Taq polymerase designed to reduce non-specific amplification in PCR. The enzyme offers, fewer contamination issues and fast activation time.
In fact, under standard hot start conditions it can be activated and the enzyme recovers both 5’-3’ polymerase and 5’-exonuclease activities within two minutes versus the ten minutes of activation time required by many competitors’ enzymes.
“Unlike traditional non-hot start Taq which can become active at room temperature and begin to amplify non-specifically and form primer-dimers, FlashTaq HotStart will not become active until the temperature and time threshold has been reached, thus reducing the likelihood of non-specific amplification and primer-dimer formation,” said Pushpaja Dodla, Molecular Biologist, Empirical Bioscience.
In addition to its stability and rapid activation time, there are other factors that help FlashTaq HotStart streamline researchers’ studies, including the type of modifying reagent that it uses. The enzyme in FlashTaq HotStart has a reduced risk of contamination because it has been chemically-modified versus antibody-modified. Enzymes that are antibody-modified are highly susceptible to contamination from the organism in which they are produced.
This, and many other properties of FlashTaq HotStart lend themselves well to PCR in academic and research settings where primer-dimers and contamination are identified problems. As one Empirical Bioscience customer noted, “FlashTaq HotStart was able to obtain the PCR product at similar dNTP and Mg concentrations as with other hot start pols. Importantly, FlashTaq HotStart provided a much cleaner band (with no other higher or lower sized PCR products) when identical volumes of the product were loaded (10ul/lane) making it much easier for downstream gel extraction to obtain pure inserts for cloning.”
Another customer noted the lower cost of FlashTaq HotStart. “Since all the polymerases we tried worked, Empirical is competitively lower in pricing and I would indeed love to be able to buy a cheaper alternative to the current hot start polymerase we use.”
Data shows that 70% of those who try Empirical’s products buy them. The company has a 95+% customer retention rate.
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Empirical Bioscience’s newest board member has more than 18 years of experience in genome sequencing.
Grand Rapids-based Empirical Bioscience, which recently changed its name from Syzygy Biotech, said last month that Richard Leach — vice president of business development at Complete Genomics in Mountain View, Calif. — has been elected to its board of directors.
Empirical Bioscience is a supplier of molecular biology reagents that act as fundamental components for life science activities involving DNA, such as genome sequencing, translational research, agricultural applications, clinical diagnostics and education.
Empirical Bioscience said Leach’s longtime work on genome sequencing and its application in fields such as personalized medicine will give the company “an unparalleled perspective on how to grow its existing and prospective markets for reagents used in polymerase chain reactions of human, animal and plant DNA.”
Leach previously served as vice president at deCODE genetics and as a scientific and business consultant at Shady Grove Center for Preimplantation Genetics.
Leach also presented “The Rise of Genomic Medicine” at last year’s TEDxGrandRapids event.
Leach holds a B.S. in biology and chemistry from Hillsdale College and a Ph.D. in molecular biology from Ohio University,
“He brings an international perspective and an authentic understanding of human genome sequencing that will keep us on the right track in this rapidly evolving industry,” said Craig Pippel, Empirical Bioscience board chairman. “We think Rick will prove to be an invaluable resource as we bring Empirical Bioscience to its full potential.”
Big things are bubbling to the surface at the life science and emerging technologies business incubator, GR Current.
The latest news on one of their tenants is about Syzygy Biotech, a company that manufactures and markets its full line of reagents used by research facilities, universities, and diagnostic labs nationwide.
The news? Welcome Empirical Bioscience and goodbye, Syzygy Biotech.
Looking to build on it’s four years of growth the firm recently changed it’s name to Empirical Bioscience, which company officials say better reflects it’s mission and positions the firm for future growth.
Secondly, and perhaps more important than the name change, is the election of Richard Leach, Ph.D., Vice President of Business Development at Complete Genomics Inc. and an expert in human genome sequencing, to its board of directors.
Dr. Leach has extensive experience within the industry. His addition to the board clearly positions the firm for a bigger role on the international stage. He views the firm as being on the brink for tremendous growth. “Empirical Bioscience designs and manufactures an assortment of high-grade molecular biology products that are used every day in labs across the nation. Because we are on the ground floor of this research and diagnostics work, we can see clearly where the biotech industry is headed. And one area that is exploding right now is genomic medicine, where we assess a person’s risk for different diseases and offer preventative treatments.”
Contact: Matthew Gryczan
SciTech Communications LLC
PHONE: 616.916.8158
E-MAIL: mgryczan@scitechcommunications.net
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan February 17, 2014 – Empirical Bioscience LLC has elected Richard Leach, Ph.D., Vice President of Business Development at Complete Genomics Inc. and an expert in human genome sequencing, to its board of directors, effective immediately.
With more than 18 years of experience in genome sequencing and its application in fields such as personalized medicine, Leach will give Empirical Bioscience an unparalleled perspective on how to grow its existing and prospective markets for reagents used in polymerase chain reactions (PCR) of human, animal and plant DNA, company officials said.
“We are very pleased to welcome Rick to the Empirical Bioscience board,” said Craig Pippel, Chairman of the Board of Empirical Bioscience, based in Grand Rapids, Mich. “He brings an international perspective and an authentic understanding of human genome sequencing that will keep us on the right track in this rapidly evolving industry. We think Rick will prove to be an invaluable resource as we bring Empirical Bioscience to its full potential.”
Leach, who holds a doctorate in molecular biology from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, said he was enthused by the potential of Empirical Bioscience to become the pre-eminent supplier of high-grade molecular biology products that have been optimized for use in next generation sequencing, translational research, agricultural applications, clinical diagnostics and education.
“In a relatively short time, Empirical Bioscience has grown from a two-man startup to a respected supplier of high-quality reagents,” said Leach, 45. “I am honored to join such a fast-growing leader in this field and add to its momentum.”
For the past three years, Leach has served as an officer at Complete Genomics, a Mountain View, Calif.-based company that used proprietary technology to sequence more than 15,000 whole human genomes for research customers. Before joining Complete Genomics, Leach was vice president for five years at deCODE genetics, a Reykjavik, Iceland-based bio-pharmaceutical company that developed a personal genome scan to enable individuals to determine their susceptibility to a range of common diseases and other traits.
He also served as scientific and business consultant for five years at the Shady Grove Center for Preimplantation Genetics in Rockville, Md., founder and Chief Science Officer at Teneo Sciences, senior field applications scientist at Affymetrix Inc., scientist in the Division of Experimental Therapeutics at Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and visiting scientist at the National Cancer Institute.
Formerly known as Syzygy Biotech, please visit Empirical Bioscience’s website at https://Empirical Bioscience.com/ for more information. The company recently introduced its rEVAlution qPCR Master Mix, an environmentally safe, ready-to-use hot-start qPCR mixture, to round out its line of offerings that includes the Taq 2x MeanGreen Master Mix, a ready-to-use 2x mixture of Taq DNA Polymerase, dNTPs, buffers and magnesium for efficient PCR amplification.
Download this Press Release (PDF)
©2014 Empirical Bioscience LLC. All rights reserved. MeanGreen is a registered trademark of Empirical Bioscience LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
By Matt Roush
One of the weirdest names in Michigan biotech is gone. Syzygy Biotech in Grand Rapids has changed his name to Empirical Bioscience LLC. The company says the name change better reflects its industry emphasis. Fair enough, but I bet the old name was just a distraction. The company’s new website is https://www.empiricalbioscience.com.
The company markets reagents used by research centers, universities and diagnostic labs nationwide. The products are used in gene sequencing, translational research, agricultural applications, clinical diagnostics and education. Said Empirical Bioscience board chairman Craig Pippel: “The word empirical means making decisions based on valid observations, and we observe where our customers are headed and anticipate their needs. Our top notch staff of experts in polymerase chain reactions know how to formulate master mixes that reduce steps for experimenters and increase gel resolutions in gels to product publication quality images.” Labs nationwide are using Empirical Bioscience reagents to perform PCR research that can involve mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects and bacteria. In one instance, a researcher is using a TAq mixture to detect the presence of Asian carp DNA in the waters of the Great Lakes to track the northward migration of the fish before they are caught. (The word syzygy, meanwhile, has several meanings, including “straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies in a gravitational system,” often loosely used to describe interesting configurations of planets in general. In biology, it means the pairing of chromosomes in meiosis, and in poetry, it can mean a combination of metric units.)
GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan February 4, 2014 – Syzygy Biotech Inc. is rebranding itself with a new name and website as Empirical Bioscience LLC to better reflect its mission in serving the rapidly changing life sciences industry. All inquiries and references to Syzygy Biotech will be redirected immediately to the Empirical Bioscience website at www.EmpiricalBioscience.com
Company officials said nothing will change in the way Empirical Bioscience manufactures and markets its full line of quality reagents used by research facilities, universities, and diagnostic labs nationwide, but the new name emphasizes its ability to anticipate what chemical tools those customers need as the life sciences industry evolves.
In less than four years, Empirical Bioscience has developed a range of high-grade molecular biology products that have been optimized for use in next generation sequencing, translational research, agricultural applications, clinical diagnostics and education.
“The word ‘empirical’ means making decisions based on valid observations, and we observe where our customers are headed and anticipate their needs,” said Craig Pippel, Chairman of the Board of Empirical Bioscience, based in Grand Rapids, Mich. “Our top notch staff of experts in polymerase chain reactions (PCR) know how to formulate master mixes that reduce steps for experimenters and increase gel resolution in gels to produce publication quality images.
“Our MeanGreen Master Mix is a perfect example of how we anticipate the market. We developed MeanGreen from scratch to save our customers valuable time and drastically cut their chances of causing errors in the lab due to contamination, wrong concentrations and improper pipetting.”
Pippel said one university researcher switched to using an Empirical Bioscience custom master mix for his research in a cure for Alzheimer’s disease after he lost time and money trying to mix his own TAq recipe with the help of student research assistants who inadvertently introduced contaminants or mixed the wrong concentrations of components.
Empirical Bioscience rigorously enforces lot-to-lot consistency during the manufacture of its products, which provides superior reagents that greatly diminish the chances that experiments will yield false negatives or false positives due to contamination. Those high standards in manufacturing take the guesswork out of whether reagents used for experiments have contaminating DNA or residual nuclease activity, Pippel said.
Labs nationwide are using Empirical Bioscience reagents to perform PCR research that can involve mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects and bacteria. In one instance, a researcher is using a TAq mixture to detect the presence of Asian carp DNA in the waters of the Great Lakes to track the northward migration of the fish before they are caught.
Empirical Bioscience has also developed what it believes to be the most effective G-C enhancer on the market today for research of G-C rich targets and a customized version that can multiplex to save experiment steps. Due to their extensive experience in developing reagents for challenging PCR, Empirical Bioscience experts have been able to develop standard and customized multiplex products to save technicians time as they conduct their experiments.
“Our new name even reflects our company’s new tag line: ‘Observe the difference,’ in our products,” Pippel said.
For more information on Empirical Bioscience, please visit the company’s website at www.EmpiricalBioscience.com The company recently introduced its rEVAlution qPCR Master Mix, an environmentally safe, ready-to-use hot-start qPCR mixture, to round out its line of offerings that includes the Taq 2x MeanGreen Master Mix, a ready-to-use 2x mixture of Taq DNA Polymerase, dNTPs, and buffers for efficient PCR amplification.
Samples are available. Contact us today to discuss your requirements. Call 877.479.9949 for more information.