Assays, Kits, & Reagents
It is very important to purchase assays, kits, and reagents from trusted sources, as the experiments conducted will only be as good as the components in these products
Assays, kits, and reagents are used in many different life science, environmental, and research labs. Assay kits have become very important in providing the materials needed to conduct specific tests that require complex or hard-to-develop components like enzymes, antibodies, genomics, and cells. It is very important to purchase assays, kits, and reagents from trusted sources, as the experiments conducted will only be as good as the components in these products. For a list of laboratory assay, kit, and reagent manufacturers, see our online directory: LabManager.com/assays-kits-reagents-manufacturers
7 Questions to Ask When Buying Assays, Kits, and Reagents:
- How pure do the components need to be for this application?
- Is the same lot needed for an extended experiment?
- How similar or dissimilar are the results from different lots?
- Does the assay, kit, or reagent work well with the existing lab equipment?
- Does the assay, kit, or reagent reduce lab work time to implement?
- How important are potential contaminants from the packaging?
- What is the unit price per test?
Quality Considerations
Given the wide range of assays, kits, and reagents available, and the large number of manufacturers, it is very important to understand the level of purity required, and the importance of trace components included. These can vary for items purchased from different vendors, and can even show important lot-to-lot variations from a single producer. Before starting a long-term set of experiments, it is worth understanding the precision required to obtain the desired results.
Purchasing Tip
The recent pandemic has created havoc in some lab supply chains. Due to issues with supply and delivery of some assays, kits, and reagents, it is important to establish the robustness of the supply of important items for the lab. It may be necessary to have multiple sources of the key assays, kits, and reagents to ensure that the lab can continue to be productive, even in uncertain times.