Analytical Instruments & Microplate Readers

Turning biological questions into quantitative measurements

Drug discovery depends on our ability to measure biological activity reliably. Whether the question involves protein interactions, enzyme activity, cellular metabolism, molecular structure, or changes in protein expression, the choice of analytical technology determines what we can learn from an experiment.

The Fisher Drug Discovery Resource Center provides access to a broad range of analytical instruments and microplate readers supporting biochemical assays, biophysical characterization, cellular analysis, and high-throughput screening. These technologies allow investigators to quantify biological responses, characterize molecular interactions, evaluate compound activity, and generate the data needed to guide discovery programs.

Choosing the Right Measurement

Different scientific questions require different approaches. A fluorescence-based microplate assay may be ideal for measuring enzyme activity across thousands of compounds, while surface plasmon resonance can provide information about molecular binding kinetics. Thermal stability measurements, isothermal titration calorimetry, and circular dichroism offer complementary ways to characterize proteins and their interactions.

Our instrumentation supports a range of experimental approaches, including:

  • Microplate-based assays: absorbance, fluorescence, luminescence, fluorescence polarization, time-resolved fluorescence, and related detection methods.
  • Biophysical characterization: molecular binding, affinity and kinetics, protein stability, thermal unfolding, and thermodynamic measurements.
  • Cellular analysis: cellular metabolic activity, high-content imaging, and other functional measurements.
  • Molecular and biochemical analysis: protein expression, nucleic-acid quantification, and other analytical measurements.
  • Assay development and screening: quantitative readouts suitable for assay optimization, compound testing, and follow-up studies.

Our Instrumentation

Explore the individual instrument pages to learn about the measurement principles, applications, and scientific questions each technology can address.

Microplate Readers and Cellular Analysis

Biophysical Characterization

Molecular Analysis

DDRC Perspective

Our goal is to help investigators select and apply the measurement that best addresses their scientific question—and to interpret the resulting data in the context of the broader project.

The right measurement can turn an experimental observation into useful evidence for drug discovery.