Improving the integrity and reproducibility of research that uses antibodies: a technical, data sharing, behavioral and policy challenge
Antibodies are one of the most important reagents used in biomedical and fundamental research, used to identify, and quantify proteins, contribute to knowledge of disease mechanisms, and validate drug targets. Yet many antibodies used in research do not recognize their intended target, or recognize...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | mAbs |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19420862.2024.2323706 |
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| author | M. Biddle P. Stylianou M. Rekas A. Wright J. Sousa D. Ruddy M. I. Stefana K. Kmiecik A. Bandrowski R.A. Kahn C. Laflamme E. M. Krockow H.S. Virk |
| author_facet | M. Biddle P. Stylianou M. Rekas A. Wright J. Sousa D. Ruddy M. I. Stefana K. Kmiecik A. Bandrowski R.A. Kahn C. Laflamme E. M. Krockow H.S. Virk |
| author_sort | M. Biddle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Antibodies are one of the most important reagents used in biomedical and fundamental research, used to identify, and quantify proteins, contribute to knowledge of disease mechanisms, and validate drug targets. Yet many antibodies used in research do not recognize their intended target, or recognize additional molecules, compromising the integrity of research findings and leading to waste of resources, lack of reproducibility, failure of research projects, and delays in drug development. Researchers frequently use antibodies without confirming that they perform as intended in their application of interest. Here we argue that the determinants of end-user antibody choice and use are critical, and under-addressed, behavioral drivers of this problem. This interacts with the batch-to-batch variability of these biological reagents, and the paucity of available characterization data for most antibodies, making it more difficult for researchers to choose high quality reagents and perform necessary validation experiments. The open-science company YCharOS works with major antibody manufacturers and knockout cell line producers to characterize antibodies, identifying high-performing renewable antibodies for many targets in neuroscience. This shows the progress that can be made by stakeholders working together. However, their work so far applies to only a tiny fraction of available antibodies. Where characterization data exists, end-users need help to find and use it appropriately. While progress has been made in the context of technical solutions and antibody characterization, we argue that initiatives to make best practice behaviors by researchers more feasible, easy, and rewarding are needed. Global cooperation and coordination between multiple partners and stakeholders will be crucial to address the technical, policy, behavioral, and open data sharing challenges. We offer potential solutions by describing our Only Good Antibodies initiative, a community of researchers and partner organizations working toward the necessary change. We conclude with an open invitation for stakeholders, including researchers, to join our cause. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-37657410713a47738873faec0a812995 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1942-0862 1942-0870 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | mAbs |
| spelling | doaj-art-37657410713a47738873faec0a8129952025-01-31T04:19:38ZengTaylor & Francis GroupmAbs1942-08621942-08702024-12-0116110.1080/19420862.2024.2323706Improving the integrity and reproducibility of research that uses antibodies: a technical, data sharing, behavioral and policy challengeM. Biddle0P. Stylianou1M. Rekas2A. Wright3J. Sousa4D. Ruddy5M. I. Stefana6K. Kmiecik7A. Bandrowski8R.A. Kahn9C. Laflamme10E. M. Krockow11H.S. Virk12NIHR Respiratory BRC, Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKNIHR Respiratory BRC, Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKNIHR Respiratory BRC, Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKNIHR Respiratory BRC, Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKNIHR Respiratory BRC, Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKNIHR Respiratory BRC, Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKJDRF/Wellcome Diabetes and Inflammation Laboratory, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UKNIHR Respiratory BRC, Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKDepartment of Neuroscience, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USADepartment of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USADepartment of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Structural Genomics Consortium, The Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, CanadaSchool of Psychology and Vision Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKNIHR Respiratory BRC, Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UKAntibodies are one of the most important reagents used in biomedical and fundamental research, used to identify, and quantify proteins, contribute to knowledge of disease mechanisms, and validate drug targets. Yet many antibodies used in research do not recognize their intended target, or recognize additional molecules, compromising the integrity of research findings and leading to waste of resources, lack of reproducibility, failure of research projects, and delays in drug development. Researchers frequently use antibodies without confirming that they perform as intended in their application of interest. Here we argue that the determinants of end-user antibody choice and use are critical, and under-addressed, behavioral drivers of this problem. This interacts with the batch-to-batch variability of these biological reagents, and the paucity of available characterization data for most antibodies, making it more difficult for researchers to choose high quality reagents and perform necessary validation experiments. The open-science company YCharOS works with major antibody manufacturers and knockout cell line producers to characterize antibodies, identifying high-performing renewable antibodies for many targets in neuroscience. This shows the progress that can be made by stakeholders working together. However, their work so far applies to only a tiny fraction of available antibodies. Where characterization data exists, end-users need help to find and use it appropriately. While progress has been made in the context of technical solutions and antibody characterization, we argue that initiatives to make best practice behaviors by researchers more feasible, easy, and rewarding are needed. Global cooperation and coordination between multiple partners and stakeholders will be crucial to address the technical, policy, behavioral, and open data sharing challenges. We offer potential solutions by describing our Only Good Antibodies initiative, a community of researchers and partner organizations working toward the necessary change. We conclude with an open invitation for stakeholders, including researchers, to join our cause.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19420862.2024.2323706Antibodiesantibody characterizationantibody validationmonoclonal antibodiesOGA (only good antibodies)open science |
| spellingShingle | M. Biddle P. Stylianou M. Rekas A. Wright J. Sousa D. Ruddy M. I. Stefana K. Kmiecik A. Bandrowski R.A. Kahn C. Laflamme E. M. Krockow H.S. Virk Improving the integrity and reproducibility of research that uses antibodies: a technical, data sharing, behavioral and policy challenge mAbs Antibodies antibody characterization antibody validation monoclonal antibodies OGA (only good antibodies) open science |
| title | Improving the integrity and reproducibility of research that uses antibodies: a technical, data sharing, behavioral and policy challenge |
| title_full | Improving the integrity and reproducibility of research that uses antibodies: a technical, data sharing, behavioral and policy challenge |
| title_fullStr | Improving the integrity and reproducibility of research that uses antibodies: a technical, data sharing, behavioral and policy challenge |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving the integrity and reproducibility of research that uses antibodies: a technical, data sharing, behavioral and policy challenge |
| title_short | Improving the integrity and reproducibility of research that uses antibodies: a technical, data sharing, behavioral and policy challenge |
| title_sort | improving the integrity and reproducibility of research that uses antibodies a technical data sharing behavioral and policy challenge |
| topic | Antibodies antibody characterization antibody validation monoclonal antibodies OGA (only good antibodies) open science |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/19420862.2024.2323706 |
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