Common applications in COVID-19 and infectious disease research including vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics
Global research efforts are focused on understanding the SARS-CoV-2 virus in order to develop potential therapies for COVID-19 including:
- vaccines
- recombinant proteins, including monoclonal antibodies
- repurposing of drug molecules already approved, or in clinical trials, for other viruses
- developing diagnostic and research tools using antibodies
Here we've addressed common applications in infectious disease research including cell line development, binding affinity, viral neutralization, viral titer and more.
Optimized workflow for rapid identification of neutralizing antibodies against viral particles
In this on-demand webinar, you will learn:
- CloneSelect™ Single Cell Printer for gently depositing a single cell into a well with the entire cell deposition process imaged and time-stamped
- Combined Single Cell Printer and CloneSelect™ Imager workflow to provide high assurance of monoclonality in a single round of cloning
- The single cell deposition- and outgrowth-efficiency comparisons using single cell printer, flow cytometry and limiting dilution
- ClonePix™ with monoclonality assurances provides a complete automated workflow for screening tens of thousands of clones while including confirmation of clonality

Accelerating study of viral infection and therapeutics
In this on-demand webinar, you will learn:
- How to integrate microplate reader detection and high-content screening workflows for detection of viral infectivity, investigation of viral mechanism of action, and screening of therapies
- How to use high-throughput screening to analyze multiple parameters across RNAi, therapeutic vaccine, and antibody screens
- How to determine viral infectivity TCID50 through fluorescence, luminescence, or absorbance-based microplate detection platforms
- How to establish robust assays across multiple platforms for high-throughput detection of viral infectivity with microplate detection and high-content imaging applications

SARS-CoV-2 key applications
Learn more about how our technology and solutions can help support your research of COVID-19 cellular responses and vaccine development.
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Cell count/cell viability
Cell counts and cell viability are fundamental assessments in numerous biological experiments, including many virology applications such as viral titer and infectivity. Cell microscopy is commonly used to capture brightfield and fluorescence images of cells in order to count them and assess whether live/dead, respectively.
Here’s a few application notes on cell counting and cell viability to aid in your COVID-19 vaccine research.
- Live/Dead (EarlyTox™ Live/Dead Assay Kit) staining - Measuring cell viability and cytotoxicity with the EarlyTox Cell Integrity Kit
- MTT assay - Assess cell viability and proliferation with colorimetric readouts
- Transfection efficiency - Optimizing GFP transfection with the SpectraMax i3 Multi-Mode Detection Platform
- Cell proliferation (Cell growth) - Confluence and growth curve generation on the CloneSelect Imager
- Cell viability (CellTiter-Glo® Luminescent Cell Viability Assay) - Luminescent cell viability and cytotoxicity assays on the SpectraMax i3x Multi-Mode Microplate Reader
Cell line development
Cell line development requires the discovery of single cell-derived clones that produce high and consistent levels of the target therapeutic protein with desired quality attributes, possible to be scaled up for commercial GMP production.
Here’s a few application notes on cell line development to aid in your COVID-19 vaccine research.
- Colony picking - Enhanced development of virus-specific hybridomas using ClonePix and CloneSelect Imager Technologies
- Monoclonality verification - Confident assurance of clonality using calcein AM with minimal effect on viability
- Cell sorting - A workflow combining single-cell isolation and microplate imaging improves cloning efficiency with higher assurance of clonality
- Cell line knock-ins/outs - Validate CRISPR-Edited Cells using Imaging and Western Blot Detection on a Microplate Reader
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COVID-19 research solutions
Molecular Devices is committed to supporting scientists that are researching COVID-19 cellular response and vaccine development by offering technology and solutions that you can deploy rapidly. We have validated and compliant laboratory solutions including microplate readers, washers, biopharma and cellular imaging systems to meet your all your research needs.
IgG Quantification
In therapeutic protein engineering and cell line development, IgG quantification is the process of measuring the amount of immunoglobulin G (IgG), a common class of therapeutic proteins, produced by a genetically modified cell line. This is important for evaluating and monitoring the productivity of the cell line and selecting the best candidate for further development of therapeutic antibodies.
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Luciferase assays
Luciferases are enzymes that use a substrate called luciferin, along with oxygen and ATP, in an energetic process that produces light—like the yellow glow of fireflies. The power of luciferase has been harnessed by scientists to devise reactions whose light output is used to monitor biological processes including gene expression, biomolecular binding, and cell viability.
Here’s a few application notes on luciferase assays to aid in your COVID-19 vaccine research:
- Measuring luciferase expression using the SpectraMax Glo Steady-Luc Reporter Assay Kit
- Dual-Luciferase Reporter (DLR) Assay
- Monitor NF-κB activation with a sensitive dual reporter assay
- Detect dual luciferase expression
- Highly sensitive dual luciferase detection with the SpectraMax DuoLuc Reporter Assay Kit
Protein and antigen binding affinity
Binding affinity is a measure of how strongly two molecules (often an antibody/antigen pair) interact with one another. Many different types of assays have been developed to assess binding affinity due to the significant heterogeneity amongst proteins including their size, location, solubility, and many other characteristics.
Learn more about the common applications for protein/antigen binding affinity to aid in your COVID-19 vaccine research:
- ELISA (IgG/IgM) - Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
- Cell-based binding - Increase sensitivity in no-wash assays using confocal imaging
- HTRF- HTRF profiling services on SpectraMax iD5 Multi-Mode Microplate Reader
- AlphaScreen/AlphaLISA - AlphaLISA Screen on the SpectraMax Paradigm Multi-Mode Microplate Detection Platform
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Protein and nucleic acid quantification (non-specific)
Experimental protocols involve a significant amount of assay/sample preparation, however, they also lengthen timelines in order to assure quality. Balancing the need for speed with the need for quality assurance can be accomplished with non-specific methods of quantification. Total amounts of proteins and/or nucleic acids can be measured using UV absorbance on a microplate reader.
Here’s a few application notes on protein and nucleic acid quantification (non-specific) to aid in your COVID-19 vaccine research:
- Colorimetric protein Assays (BCA/ Bradford Assays) - Measure total protein in cell lysates with SpectraMax ABS Plus Microplate Reader
- Protein quantification (using UV absorbance) - Direct protein quantitation using the SpectraDrop Micro-Volume Microplate
- DNA/RNA quantitation (using UV absorbance) - DNA and RNA absorbance measurements using SpectraMax Microplate Readers
- Fluorescence-based DNA quantification - Quantitation of dsDNA samples using the SpectraMax Quant dsDNA Assay Kits
Protein and nucleic acid quantification (specific)
Many biological experiments aim to alter protein expression within a cell, whether through genetic engineering or drug treatment. In order to understand the effect of such manipulation, it is critical to measure the response of specific protein(s). Antibodies are commonly used in bioassays (immunoassays) for this purpose due to their inherent ability to specifically bind to a protein of interest.
Learn more about the common applications for protein and nucleic acid quantification (specific) to aid in your COVID-19 vaccine research:
- ELISA (Cytokine secretion) - Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA)
- Western blot - Western Blot
- HTRF (cytokine secretion) - Normalize HTRF cytokine assays to cell viability
- AlphaScreen/AlphaLISA - AlphaLISA Screen on the SpectraMax Paradigm Multi-Mode Microplate Detection Platform
- ValitaTITER (IgG quantification using fluorescence polarization) - Streamline the workflow for measuring IgG in cell line development
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Vaccine development workflows
Vaccine development workflows vary depending upon the platform (e.g. inactivated virus vs. DNA vaccine) chosen, each having its own advantages. Here we've addressed a variety of virus-related workflows – from antigen and antibody discovery to cell line development.
Learn more about the common applications for vaccine development workflows to aid in your COVID-19 vaccine research:
Viral neutralization
Vaccine and antiviral drug efficacies are assessed by their ability to inhibit viral entry (infection) into cells grown in culture.
- Plaque reduction neutralization assay (PRNT)
- Viral reduction neutralization assay (VRNT) - Virus Reduction Neutralization Test: A Single-Cell Imaging High-Throughput Virus Neutralization Assay for Dengue
- Microneutralization Development of a High-Throughput Respiratory Syncytial Virus Fluorescent Focus-Based Microneutralization Assay
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Viral pathogenesis (Viral pathways)
Understanding the basic mechanisms of viral entry, replication, shedding, etc. is critical for the development of effective treatments towards infectious diseases. Fluorescence microscopy is a fundamental tool in any virology laboratory because it allows for visualization of viral pathways at high resolution and over time. Cell signaling and reporter gene assays can be used to explore cellular pathways affected by viruses and are run using microplate readers.
Here’s a few application notes on viral pathogenesis (Viral pathways) to aid in your COVID-19 vaccine research:
- Internalization - Visualize subcellular vesicles to quantitate autophagy in neuronal cells
- Reporter gene assays - Measuring luciferase expression using the SpectraMax Glo Steady-Luc Reporter Assay Kit
- Cell signaling (GPCR) - Complete cAMP workflow solution using the CatchPoint cAMP Fluorescent Assay Kit
Viral titer
Viruses infect cells in order to replicate, a task which they cannot accomplish on their own. Measuring the amount of virus in a cell-free sample does not provide information regarding their infectivity, limiting its usefulness. Instead, cell imaging is used to detect the ability of a given virus to infect cells in culture. Viral concentrations are determined from the fraction of infected cells.
- Plaque assay - University of Zurich uses the ImageXpress Widefield System to investigate host pathogen interactions
- Focus forming assay
- Endpoint dilution
Resources related to COVID-19 cellular responses and vaccine development
eBook
Virology and Vaccine Research Microplate Reader Solutions
Virology and Vaccine Research Microplate Reader Solutions
We understand what a challenging time this is for those who are working to get accelerated testing and medicines to the market as soon as possible and are committed to supporting scientists…
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The role of Monoclonal Antibodies against COVID-19
The role of Monoclonal Antibodies against COVID-19
Discover why mAbs are key in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 and how the pandemic has shaped their discovery and development pipeline. Over the past three years, the development of…
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COVID-19 Timeline: Diagnostics, Vaccines, and Therapeutic Antibody Development
COVID-19 Timeline: Diagnostics, Vaccines, and Therapeutic Antibody Development
Global research efforts are focused on understanding the SARS-CoV-2 virus in order to develop potential therapies for COVID-19. Join us as we explore a scientific timeline of key…
Application Note
Qualitative measurement of SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid IgG antibodies in serum samples
Qualitative measurement of SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid IgG antibodies in serum samples
Rapid, accurate, and frequent molecular testing is of critical importance in navigating the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Citations
Quantification of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody by wild-type plaque reduction neutralization, microneutralization and pseudotyped virus neutralization assays
Quantification of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody by wild-type plaque reduction neutralization, microneutralization and pseudotyped virus neutralization assays
Virus neutralization assays measure neutralizing antibodies in serum and plasma, and the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) is considered the gold standard for measuring levels of t…
Application Note
Detect SARS-CoV-2 IgG in serum samples with a luminescent immunoassay
Detect SARS-CoV-2 IgG in serum samples with a luminescent immunoassay
As part of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2, infected individuals produce virus-specific antibodies that are detectable in the blood within one to three weeks after the onset of symptoms.
Application Note
Measure viral-induced cytopathic effects with a quantitative luminescence assay
Measure viral-induced cytopathic effects with a quantitative luminescence assay
Viral infection of mammalian cells often reduces cell viability and causes visible effects upon the cells such as changes in shape or size, or fusion with adjacent cells. These changes are…
Blog
Life sciences technology predictions for 2021
Life sciences technology predictions for 2021
For over 40 years, Molecular Devices has been at the forefront of technological advances which have contributed to significant scientific breakthroughs. To kick off the new year, we…
eBook
Accelerate vaccine development
Accelerate vaccine development
Immunology is now, more than anytime in recent history, one of the top fields of research. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) continue to enjoy intense interest as potential therapeutics. With ant…
Blog
The history of ELISA from creation to COVID-19 research
The history of ELISA from creation to COVID-19 research
Over the past three decades, ELISA or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, has become vital to many areas of research and has shown to have many applications—from detecting food and…
Publications
Transcriptomics-based drug repositioning pipeline identifies therapeutic candidates for COVID-19
Transcriptomics-based drug repositioning pipeline identifies therapeutic candidates for COVID-19
The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged in December 2019 and has few effective treatments. We applied a computational drug repositioning pipeline to SARS-CoV-2 differential gene expression signat…
Application Note
Measuring cell viability and cytotoxicity with the EarlyTox Cell Integrity Kit
Measuring cell viability and cytotoxicity with the EarlyTox Cell Integrity Kit
The EarlyTox™ Cell Integrity Kit is an optimized set of reagents that simplifies the identification of live and dead cells. It can be used to measure the effects of different treatments on…
Application Note
Comparison of traditional cloning methods vs. CloneSelect Single-Cell Printer f.sight using CHO cell lines commonly used for monoclonal antibody production
Comparison of traditional cloning methods vs. CloneSelect Single-Cell Printer f.sight using CHO cell lines commonly used for monoclonal antibody production
As regulations for cell line development become increasingly more stringent, researchers will be required to perform single-cell cloning and provide evidence that a cell line is derived…
Application Note
A microfluidics-based, single cell printing and microplate imaging workflow optimized for efficiency, viability and monoclonality report generation
A microfluidics-based, single cell printing and microplate imaging workflow optimized for efficiency, viability and monoclonality report generation
In this app note, we demonstrate a unified workflow that combines single cell deposition and clonality verification. We couple the use of the SCP and CSI to deposit single cells into a…
Application Note
A workflow combining single-cell isolation and microplate imaging improves cloning efficiency with higher assurance of clonality
A workflow combining single-cell isolation and microplate imaging improves cloning efficiency with higher assurance of clonality
The isolation of single cells has a broad spectrum of applications, from single-cell genomics to antibody discovery and cell line development.
Application Note
HTRF profiling services on SpectraMax iD5 Multi-Mode Microplate Reader
HTRF profiling services on SpectraMax iD5 Multi-Mode Microplate Reader
Cisbio’s Custom Solutions Laboratory team has worked in collaboration with Molecular Devices to generate relevant data promoting the expert profiling service activity completed by Cisbio US…
Application Note
Assess cell viability and proliferation with colorimetric readouts
Assess cell viability and proliferation with colorimetric readouts
Learn how absorbance microplate reader provides a colorimetric readouts for cell viability or proliferation.
Application Note
Measure total protein in cell lysates with SpectraMax ABS Plus Microplate Reader
Measure total protein in cell lysates with SpectraMax ABS Plus Microplate Reader
Quantification of protein concentrations from cell lysates is a key step for many downstream applications, such as western blots and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs).
Application Note
Streamline BCA-based protein quantitation on the SpectraMax iD5 reader
Streamline BCA-based protein quantitation on the SpectraMax iD5 reader
Learn how to quantitate a cellular protein sample with BCA protein assay kits on the SpectraMax® iD5 Multi-Mode Microplate Reader.
Application Note
Normalize HTRF cytokine assays to cell viability
Normalize HTRF cytokine assays to cell viability
Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines play a central role in autoimmunity and inflammatory and infectious diseases. They are also key players in metabolic disorders and oncology,…
Application Note
Counting cells with the Transmitted Light Analysis Module in MetaXpress
Counting cells with the Transmitted Light Analysis Module in MetaXpress
Label-free cellular assays are required for a multitude of biological applications that monitor the cell number, proliferation, health, confluency, and cytotoxicity. In this application…
Application Note
Measuring cell health on the SpectraMax iD3 reader with cell viability assays
Measuring cell health on the SpectraMax iD3 reader with cell viability assays
Measuring cell health from the multiple vantage points of viability and apoptotic pathways can provide insight into the impacts of a variety of experimental treatments including drug…
Application Note
Monitor NF-κB activation with a sensitive dual luciferase reporter assay on the SpectraMax iD5
Monitor NF-κB activation with a sensitive dual luciferase reporter assay on the SpectraMax iD5
Reporter genes are valuable tools for studying gene expression, serving as surrogates for genes involved in various signaling pathways and disease conditions. Luciferases are the most…
Application Note
Validate CRISPR-Edited Cells using Imaging and Western Blot Detection on a Microplate Reader
Validate CRISPR-Edited Cells using Imaging and Western Blot Detection on a Microplate Reader
Genome editing has been widely used to study gene expression and protein function, but many of these methods are labor intensive and inaccurate. The CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced…
Application Note
Complete cAMP workflow solution using the CatchPoint cAMP Fluorescent Assay Kit
Complete cAMP workflow solution using the CatchPoint cAMP Fluorescent Assay Kit
G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) are important transmembrane proteins that translate extracellular signals into intracellular responses. These intracellular responses are comprised of…
Application Note
DNA and RNA absorbance measurements using SpectraMax Microplate Readers
DNA and RNA absorbance measurements using SpectraMax Microplate Readers
Ultraviolet (UV) measurements in microplates became possible when Molecular Devices introduced the first UV-capable microplate reader. Since then, microplate measurements of DNA, RNA, and…
Application Note
Confident assurance of clonality using calcein AM with minimal effect on viability
Confident assurance of clonality using calcein AM with minimal effect on viability
The development of cell lines that express a specified protein of interest is critical to the generation of biopharmaceutical molecules such as monoclonal antibodies. To establish a cell…
Application Note
Detect dual luciferase expression on the FlexStation 3 microplate reader
Detect dual luciferase expression on the FlexStation 3 microplate reader
Reporter gene assays are important tools for studying gene expression associated with the activation of cellular pathways. Cells are transfected with a plasmid containing the reporter gene…
Application Note
Using the NanoOrange Protein Kit with SpectraMax Microplate Readers
Using the NanoOrange Protein Kit with SpectraMax Microplate Readers
This application note describes how to use the NanoOrange® Protein Quantitation Kit from Life Technologies in SpectraMax® microplate readers with the fluorescence detection mode and SoftMax…
Application Note
AlphaLISA Screen on the SpectraMax Paradigm Multi-Mode Microplate Detection Platform
AlphaLISA Screen on the SpectraMax Paradigm Multi-Mode Microplate Detection Platform
Inflammation, the body’s reaction to infection, irritation, or other injury, is accompanied by increased endothelial chemokine production and adhesion molecule expression, which may result…
Application Note
EarlyTox Live/Dead Assay Kit on SpectraMax Fluorescence Microplate Readers
EarlyTox Live/Dead Assay Kit on SpectraMax Fluorescence Microplate Readers
Cell viability assays are often performed to assess the effects of a variety of treatments, including drug candidates, pathway activators and inhibitors, and reporter genes. One of the most…
Application Note
Quantitation of dsDNA samples using the SpectraMax Quant dsDNA Assay Kits
Quantitation of dsDNA samples using the SpectraMax Quant dsDNA Assay Kits
As different types of test samples may contain different concentrations of DNA, selection of an appropriate fluorescent reagent with the required sensitivity and detection range is…
Application Note
Highly sensitive dual luciferase detection with the SpectraMax DuoLuc Reporter Assay Kit
Highly sensitive dual luciferase detection with the SpectraMax DuoLuc Reporter Assay Kit
Firefly luciferase is a widely used reporter to study gene regulation and function. It is a very sensitive reporter due to the lack of any endogenous luciferase activity in mammalian cells…
Application Note
Confluence and growth curve generation on the CloneSelect Imager
Confluence and growth curve generation on the CloneSelect Imager
The ability to monitor cell proliferation has become increasingly important, particularly with the widespread use of in vitro cell lines as model systems. Proliferation rates can be used to…
Application Note
Enhanced development of virus-specific hybridomas using ClonePix and CloneSelect Imager Technologies
Enhanced development of virus-specific hybridomas using ClonePix and CloneSelect Imager Technologies
The ClonePix System was employed in the high-throughput screening of hundreds of sub-cloned colonies from parental hybridoma material (historically parental line yields were less than 1 mg/…
Application Note
Optimizing GFP transfection with the SpectraMax i3 Multi-Mode Detection Platform
Optimizing GFP transfection with the SpectraMax i3 Multi-Mode Detection Platform
Expression of fluorescent proteins, for example, green fluorescent proteins (GFP), is often used as a read-out for reporter gene assays. In a typical reporter assay, the regulatory sequence…
Application Note
Direct protein quantitation using the SpectraDrop Micro-Volume Microplate
Direct protein quantitation using the SpectraDrop Micro-Volume Microplate
Quantitation of protein using UV absorbance is a rapid, nondestructive method that relies on the absorbance of near-UV wavelengths of light by the tryptophan and tyrosine residues in a…
Application Note
Luminescent cell viability and cytotoxicity assays on the SpectraMax i3x Multi-Mode Microplate Reader
Luminescent cell viability and cytotoxicity assays on the SpectraMax i3x Multi-Mode Microplate Reader
The CellTiter-Glo assay from Promega uses luciferase enzyme, which requires ATP in order to generate light. The luminescent signal produced in the assay depends on the amount of ATP in the…
Application Note
Dual-Luciferase Reporter (DLR) Assay on the SpectraMax i3x Multi-Mode Microplate Reader with SpectraMax Injector Cartridge
Dual-Luciferase Reporter (DLR) Assay on the SpectraMax i3x Multi-Mode Microplate Reader with SpectraMax Injector Cartridge
Promega’s Dual-Luciferase® Reporter (DLR) Assay System allows users to measure both firefly and Renilla luciferase activity in a single microplate well, with firefly acting as the…
Application Note
Visualize subcellular vesicles to quantitate autophagy in neuronal cells
Visualize subcellular vesicles to quantitate autophagy in neuronal cells
Autophagy is an intracellular catabolic process that sequesters and degrades proteins and organelles that have either been recognized as faulty or are simply no longer needed by the cell.…
Application Note
Increase sensitivity in no-wash assays using confocal imaging
Increase sensitivity in no-wash assays using confocal imaging
Screening of hybridoma supernatants for antibodies directed against cell-surface antigens is an important step in the discovery and development of antibodies for vaccines or therapeutic use…
Application Note
Detection and quantitation of protein with ScanLater Western Blot Detection System
Detection and quantitation of protein with ScanLater Western Blot Detection System
Protein detection is important for pharmaceutical and clinical research today, and western blots are among the most common methods employed for this purpose. Various techniques are used to…
Application Note
Measuring luciferase expression using the SpectraMax Glo Steady-Luc Reporter Assay Kit
Measuring luciferase expression using the SpectraMax Glo Steady-Luc Reporter Assay Kit
The use of gene reporters such as luciferase permits highly sensitive and nondestructive monitoring of gene expression. Firefly luciferase, a 61 kD monomeric protein, is especially…
Application Note
Nucleic acid quantitation and analysis using the QuickDrop Spectrophotometer
Nucleic acid quantitation and analysis using the QuickDrop Spectrophotometer
Spectrophotometry is a well-established technique used to quantitate and analyze biological substances. Of these substances, nucleic acids are one of the most routinely measured in life…