Biotech Support Group Receives Research Grant to Advance Targeted Proteomics Innovation

In a breakthrough to revolutionize clinical and diagnostic research, Biotech Support Group (BSG) received a Phase II Catalyst Research Grant from the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology. This $40,000 grant further supports the advancement of their NRicher™ platform, cementing BSG's status as a pioneer in targeted proteomics and biomarker discovery. This recognition not only confirms BSG's leadership in innovative product development, but also positions the company at the forefront of highly streamlined, high-impact sample preparation technologies — a critical component for the future of precision medicine.

Enabling the Future of Targeted Proteomics

The title of the grant is the project "Evaluating the NRicher™ Bead Platform for Targeted LC-MS Quantification." Conducted in collaboration with The Rutgers Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility, the study explores how different NRicher™ bead chemistries can streamline LC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) workflows for more precise and reproducible peptide quantification. In contrast to traditional antibody-based methods, targeted proteomics offers a cost-effective, reproducible, and information-rich alternative. It has a single major hurdle, though: interference from high-abundance, non-target proteins in biological samples like blood plasma. That's where Biotech Support Group's NRicher™ technology shines — by enriching low-abundance proteins and reducing background noise, the platform makes it easier to detect and quantify biomarkers of potential clinical value. “This award accelerates our NRicher™ platform to a next generation of products,” says Dr. Swapan Roy, Ph.D., President and Founder of Biotech Support Group. “We are building workflows that combine simplicity, species agnosticism, and functional integrity — all without detergents — for a truly seamless LC-MS experience.”

From Vision to Market: The Evolution of NRicher™

The NRicher™ platform is not a recent development. It began over 15 years ago as a novel non-biological porous silica bead technology; the first to differentially enrich sub-proteomes from complex proteomes. The platform chemistries have given rise to a series of commercial successes like AlbuVoid™ and HemoVoid™. These reagents are now recognized standard tools in proteomics labs around the world, particularly among researchers who work with plasma proteomics, biomarker discovery, and low-abundance protein enrichment. Under this new grant, BSG will explore up to 10 novel NRicher™ bead chemistries. Their goal? To map the LC-MS signal intensity of the entire plasma proteome, and more importantly, to expose functional, post-translational, and non-canonical variant regions. These regions are typically hidden in standard workflows but can offer actionable insights on disease states and personalized medicine; areas in which precision is everything.

Learn more about the NRicher™ platform and its applications.

Why Targeted Proteomics is More Important Than Ever

Targeted proteomics is emerging as a foundation of next-generation diagnostics. As opposed to discovery proteomics, which casts a broad net, targeted proteomics focuses on pre-identified proteins — usually ones that have been implicated in disease — and seeks to quantify them precisely and reproducibly. However, complex biological fluids like plasma present a technical hurdle: abundant proteins drown out the signal of low-abundance targets. This results in poor quantitation, missed biomarkers, and compromised clinical utility. BioTech Support Group addresses this niche with their on-bead digestion workflows and proprietary bead chemistries that:

Improve signal-to-noise ratios
Allow for high-sensitivity detection
Simplify protocols by avoiding detergents
Work across species, opening the door to diverse research applications

All of these features are already integrated into their NRicher™ product suite, which renders the platform a must-have tool for biotech developers, clinical investigations, and biomedical researchers alike.

A Legacy of Innovation and Scientific Leadership

Founded by Dr. Roy, Biotech Support Group has become known as an agile, research-driven company that specializes at the intersection of biotechnology and clinical utility. Following decades of service, the company continues to be well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of the proteomics community. From AlbuSorb™ PLUS, HemogloBind™, and the NRicher™ platform, BioTech's tiered business model and product development have been helping researchers deplete unwanted protein, enrich for valuable analytes, and maximize downstream analyses. With healthcare and life sciences sectors moving towards precision diagnostics, companies like Biotech Support Group play an important role in enabling laboratories to become equipped with both sophisticated yet simple-to-use tools.

Looking Ahead: What This Means for the Industry

The ripple impacts of this Catalyst Grant go far beyond BSG. They reflect the State of New Jersey's sustained commitment to bioscience innovation, and remind us of the potency of public-private partnerships in driving breakthrough discoveries. By pushing the boundaries of sample preparation and targeted proteomics, BSG is helping to:

Reduce reliance on costly, less reproducible antibody-based assays
Accelerate time-to-discovery for disease biomarkers
Enable more robust, scalable research for biotech, pharma, and academic labs

This is a win not just for BSG, but for the entire scientific community that relies upon smarter, more streamlined workflows. During an era where personalized medicine is no longer a dream but a necessity, technologies like targeted proteomics are crucial. With the support of the NJ Commission and their ongoing efforts at Rutgers, Biotech Support Group is well-placed to bring breakthrough tools to life at the cutting edge of biomedical research. This grant is not merely funding — it's a vote of confidence in BSG's ability to deliver the next generation of sample preparation technologies that will propel the biomarker panels of the future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is targeted proteomics and why is it important?

Targeted proteomics is a highly precise method for measuring specific proteins in complex biological samples. It is essential for validating potential biomarkers and offers a scalable, cost-effective alternative to antibody-based assays in diagnostic and clinical research.

What challenges exist in targeted proteomics sample preparation?

One of the biggest challenges is the presence of high-abundance proteins that can mask low-abundance biomarkers. These interfering proteins complicate LC-MS workflows and lead to inaccurate or missed quantification of target peptides.

How does Biotech Support Group’s NRicher™ platform improve targeted proteomics?

NRicher™ enhances LC-MS workflows by enriching low-abundance proteins, reducing background interference, and enabling on-bead digestion without detergents. This results in simplified, more accurate sample prep — a major benefit for biomarker discovery and validation.

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