An open solution to improving research reproducibility

Structural Genomics Consortium researchers at The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) of McGill University, in collaboration with scientists from 11 major antibody manufacturers representing approximately 80 per cent of global renewable antibody production, have developed and standardized an Open Science platform to characterize research antibodies. This platform, designed to evaluate antibody specificity, aims to tackle a critical challenge in biomedical research reproducibility. Their approach was published in Nature Protocols on Dec, 17, 2024.

Antibodies, essential tools in life sciences, are typically used to detect or capture specific proteins in complex biological samples. However, many antibodies currently available—among the 7.7 million produced by commercial manufacturers—lack adequate specificity, leading to off-target effects. The resulting impact is significant, with an estimated $1 billion of research funding wasted annually on non-specific antibodies.

Peter McPherson, Carl Laflamme, and Riham Ayoubi, lead scientists on the study, developed the antibody characterization platform under the public-good initiative YCharOS (Antibody Characterization through Open Science). For any given protein target, YCharOS compares all commercially available antibodies from their industry partners in side-by-side testing. This standardized characterization process involves knockout (KO) cell lines and evaluates antibodies across key applications such as immunoblotting, immunoprecipitation, and immunofluorescence. This initiative marks the first large-scale collaboration among competitors in the antibody industry.

To date, the YCharOS team has tested approximately 1,200 antibodies against 120 protein targets. The 11 antibody manufacturers, coupled with an additional KO cell supplier, have collectively contributed over $2 million in-kind to the project.

The Open Science approach supports the expansion of antibody characterization efforts. The protocols outlined in the new article, are now being employed at a second YCharOS site at Leicester University in the United Kingdom, led by Drs. Harvinder Virk and Micheal Biddle, where researchers are using these methods to test antibodies in additional applications.

YCharOS is supported by government funding from the UnitedStates, Canada, and Quebec, as well as from neurological disease charities and the pharmaceutical industry.

Quotes

"Never before have companies collaborated at this scale to improve antibody quality.” - Katherine Crosby from Cell Signaling Technology, one of the 11 YCharOS antibody manufacturer partners.

“Open Science can help turn this widespread issue into a solvable challenge.” - Aled Edwards, YCharOS Board Chair.

"The enthusiastic involvement of our corporate partners demonstrates their commitment to providing only high-quality reagents to the research community." - Chetan Raina, CEO of YCharOS Inc.

About The Neuro

The Neuro – The Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital – is a bilingual, world-leading destination for brain research and advanced patient care. Since its founding in 1934 by renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Wilder Penfield, The Neuro has grown to be the largest specialized neuroscience research and clinical center in Canada, and one of the largest in the world. The seamless integration of research, patient care, and training of the world’s top minds make The Neuro uniquely positioned to have a significant impact on the understanding and treatment of nervous system disorders. In 2016, The Neuro became the first institute in the world to fully embrace the Open Science philosophy, creating the Tanenbaum Open Science Institute. The Montreal Neurological Institute is a McGill University research and teaching institute. The Montreal Neurological Hospital is part of the Neuroscience Mission of the McGill University Health Centre. For more information, please visit www.theneuro.ca