LGC Biosearch Technologies is a
biotechnology
Biotechnology is a multidisciplinary field that involves the integration of natural sciences and Engineering Science, engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms and parts thereof for products and services. Specialists ...
company headquartered in
Hoddesdon, UK. It is a subsidiary of
LGC Ltd
LGC Group, formerly the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, is an international life sciences measurement and tools company. It provides the role and duties of the UK Government Chemist, a statutory adviser to the government. LGC also hosts t ...
specializing in
nucleic acid
Nucleic acids are large biomolecules that are crucial in all cells and viruses. They are composed of nucleotides, which are the monomer components: a pentose, 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base. The two main classes of nuclei ...
production,
PCR systems, and other
molecular biology
Molecular biology is a branch of biology that seeks to understand the molecule, molecular basis of biological activity in and between Cell (biology), cells, including biomolecule, biomolecular synthesis, modification, mechanisms, and interactio ...
lab kits and services.
Part of the
Genomics
Genomics is an interdisciplinary field of molecular biology focusing on the structure, function, evolution, mapping, and editing of genomes. A genome is an organism's complete set of DNA, including all of its genes as well as its hierarchical, ...
Division of LGC, Biosearch Technologies has a network of nine manufacturing facilities and three service labs in the US and Europe, and serves customers across a number of markets including pharmaceuticals, agricultural biotechnology, diagnostics, food safety, environment, government and academia.
History
Biosearch Technologies was founded in 1993, inheriting expertise from founder Dr. Ronald Cook's previous venture, Biosearch Inc, which produced
DNA synthesis
DNA synthesis is the natural or artificial creation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecules. DNA is a macromolecule made up of nucleotide units, which are linked by covalent bonds and hydrogen bonds, in a repeating structure. DNA synthesis occu ...
instruments.
In 2013, Biosearch Technologies acquired the oligonucleotide manufacturing arm of DNA Technology and the entirety of VitraBio, a maker of
porous glass
Porous glass is glass that includes pores, usually in the nanometre- or micrometre-range, commonly prepared by one of the following processes: through metastable phase separation in borosilicate glasses (such as in their system SiO2-B2O3-Na2O), fo ...
.
In 2015, Biosearch Technologies was acquired by LGC. In 2016, Douglas Scientific was also acquired by LGC, and merged operations with Biosearch Technologies.
Recognition in PCR research
When
Kary Mullis
Kary Banks Mullis (December 28, 1944August 7, 2019) was an American biochemist. In recognition of his role in the invention of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, he shared the 1993 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Michael Smith and was ...
received the Nobel Prize in 1993 and gave his Nobel Lecture concerning his invention of the
polymerase chain reaction
The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used to make millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA sample rapidly, allowing scientists to amplify a very small sample of DNA (or a part of it) sufficiently to enable detailed st ...
(PCR) method, he acknowledged Biosearch Inc and Dr. Cook's role in providing him one of the first SAM I DNA synthesizers which was used to support Kary Mullis' PCR research.
Products
Biosearch Technologies licenses products meant for lab work and biotechnology manufacturing, including dyes and primers, as well as
Stellaris FISH probes. In the past, they have developed detection panels for both H1N1 and Avian Influenza A. In addition, they offer a web-based software called RealTimeDesign to help scientists craft
custom oligonucleotides.
[Genetic Engineering News - RealTimeDesign]
References
Kary B. Mullis' Nobel Lecture, December 8, 1993Genetic Engineering News - PCR Applications Continue to Expand, October 1, 2006
External links
Biosearch Technologies' websiteRealTimeDesign: Online Design Service for qPCR and SNP Genotyping Assays
* ttp://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/104/21/8989 Ontario Cancer Institute's use of Biosearch Technologies' Productsbr>University of Texas Medical Branch's use of Probes Labeled with Black Hole QuencherThe Biosearch Story on Biosearchtech.com
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Biotechnology companies of the United States
Research support companies
Novato, California
Petaluma, California
Technology companies based in the San Francisco Bay Area
Biotechnology companies established in 1993
1993 establishments in California