Developing Solutions for High-Throughput, Fast, Robust, Familiar, and Affordable Western Blotting
At Blotting Innovations, we are revolutionizing protein analysis with our high-throughput 96-well western blot system. Designed for efficiency, precision, and affordability, our technology streamlines the traditional western blot workflow, making large-scale protein detection faster and easier. We offer 96-well gels and compatible electrophoresis tanks, with customizable gel compositions to meet diverse research needs. Our mission is to empower scientists with innovative tools that enhance productivity and reproducibility in protein analysis.
Cofounders
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Marc Birtwistle
Marc Birtwistle, CEO and cofounder of Blotting Innovations, has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech and a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware. He has run an NIH-funded research lab since 2012 broadly in the areas of cell, molecular and systems biology, focused on cancer research. His lab has routinely published on quantitative and cutting edge western blotting, including the recent development of the Mesowestern blot. This experience and work has driven the formation of Blotting Innovations.
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Jonah Huggins
Jonah R. Huggins is the Chief Scientific Officer and cofounder of Blotting Innovations. He began working with the team (then academic researchers) in early 2018 as an undergraduate student. He holds a BS in Microbiology and is pursuing his PhD in Biomedical Data Science and Informatics. In his free time, Jonah enjoys exercise and spending time with his friends and loved ones.
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Cameron Zadeh
Cameron Orrod Zadeh is Chief Operating Officer and cofounder of Blotting Innovations. He began work on the Mesowestern project in 2017 during his undergraduate study in Chemical Engineering. Designing the first prototypes, using additive manufacturing to produce them, and conducting wet lab experiments in protein analysis composed his Master’s thesis in Chemical Engineering which he defended in 2019.
In 2024, Cameron earned his PhD in Automotive Engineering researching the physics of additive manufacturing processes and developing simulation models to predict process outcomes.
History
NIH Phase I STTR Grant Awarded August 2023 for the Gelbrane
We received a Phase I STTR award from NIH to develop the Gelbrane, a precast polyacrylamide gel combined with a transfer membrane, and a transfer apparatus!
A major error-prone step in western blotting is the construction of a “transfer sandwich”, where a membrane, blotter paper, and sponges are manually arranged around the gel following electrophoresis. Errors here often result in a completely failed experiment that is only discovered after ~2-3 days, causing sample loss, increased labor, lost time, and poor reproducibility.
There is an unmet need for a product that eliminates the need for manual transfer sandwich construction, while remaining affordable and familiar to investigators.
NIH Phase I STTR Grant Awarded September 2022 for High-Throughput Western Blot
We have received a Phase I STTR award from the NIH to develop the develop the high-throughput western blot! This grant is based on our Mesowestern publication, driven mainly by co-founders Cameron Zadeh and Jonah Huggins.
Research and development focuses on 96-well pre-cast gels and horizontal electrophoresis tanks that fit these gels. The price points are competitive with standard Western blotting, and any scientist who has done standard Western blotting should have no trouble with the 96-well gel as the protocols are very similar. These gels are loadable by standard single or multichannel micropipettes and hold typical sample sizes.
Mesowestern Blot (2022)
The Mesowestern blot is the next generation of the microwestern blot, enabling simultaneous analysis of 336 ~1 microliter samples but without the cost and technical deterrents of a piezoelectric pipetting apparatus.
