Site-specific engineering of protein-coated magnetic nanobeads

Funded by the NTNU Discovery Main Project

Protein A magnetic beads are widely used in protein biochemistry for antibody purification and immunoprecipitation, in a large and growing global market driven by rising demand for monoclonal antibodies in therapeutics and research. However, commercial beads often suffer from inconsistent performance due to protein A attaching to bead surfaces in a random, unoriented way.

This completed NTNU project, building on an earlier pilot phase, developed an innovative strategy to address this limitation by engineering a modified protein A domain that attached to magnetic nanobeads in a controlled, oriented manner. This approach improved antibody binding affinity and specificity compared to a leading commercial product, with potential applications spanning antibody purification, diagnostics, and protein enrichment research.

The project successfully established and optimized protocols for protein purification and explored scaling up bead production, laying the groundwork for further innovation funding and future commercialization.