The MAF generates new, high-quality, non-commercially available monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) from scratch by hybridoma technology for specific applications (Western blotting, Immunohistochemistry, FACS, functional grade for mimicking or blocking physiological functions in vitro and in vivo, in vivo studies, proof of concept studies, grant applications, etc.), including basic and translational research with future potential therapeutic purposes. 

For our MD Anderson customers, generating in-home antibodies minimizes encountering later difficulties with filing invention disclosure records (IDRs) and/or patent issues on their discoveries that researchers may face if they used commercial antibodies for their work.

We also provide immunoglobulin sequencing, recombinant antibody construction (isotype switching, chimera construction with variable mouse regions and human constant regions by transient expression). 

The MAF now offers the generation of fully human monoclonal antibodies from scratch by hybridoma technology. Using this platform of  humanized mice, or "humice", which have an immune repertoire that has been genetically engineered to replicate a human immune repertoire, we can generate fully human recombinant monoclonal antibodies. 

Our customers are from MD Anderson, all across Texas, and beyond, including countries outside of the United States, and both from academia and commercial companies. We provide expert advice, project design, and quality service to all customers.

What Are Monoclonal Antibodies?

By definition, antibodies are proteins (immunoglobulins) secreted by plasma B cells, one type of immune cell. Each B cell secretes only one type of antibody, targeting a certain substance defined as an "antigen", that is usually found on an invader, or something foreign, to the mammalian body (from bacteria, tumor cells, fungus, etc.). This immune response is called "polyclonal" because multiple antibodies, with each one recognizing a different aspect of the antigen and secreted from a single B cell, circulate in the blood. Some of these antibodies successfully crosslink the antigen and eliminate the microbes or cells expressing the antigen, some of them do not. 

In the early 1970s, the idea of producing identical antibodies in vitro, each one derived from a single B cell (monoclonal) and specific to a given antigen, arose among the scientific community. This was successfully accomplished by Georges Köhler, César Milstein, and Niels Kaj Jerne, who created the process of producing monoclonal antibodies in 1975, sharing the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1984 for their discovery. 

The key idea was to fuse (by chemical or physical methods) an immortal myeloma cell line that has the ability to grow in vitro, with healthy antibody secreting B-cells from an immunized mouse, forming a hybrid cell (hybridoma) that shares the properties of both parental cells: an immortal cell secreting one specific antibody. Thanks to that discovery, it is possible to create in vitro monoclonal antibodies against (almost) any antigen. 

Examples of Antibodies that the Monoclonal Antibody Core has Produced

Cell Surface Proteins

Several of these antibodies were licensed to Biotech companies that add them in their catalogs for research use. Others are in the process of clinical development and licensed to Pharma companies. 

Peptides

Anti-phospho peptides (several)

Extracellular Matrix 

Fungus proteins 

Patents

• anti-OX40
• anti- HSP-70
•  anti-B7H3
• anti-glycosylated PD-L1
• anti-phosphorylated peptides
• anti-aspergillus antigen chimeric receptor
• and many others ...
  

IDRs 

MDACC invention disclosure reports, generated by Office of Commercialization (White,Kayla R krwhite@mdanderson.org) 

Examples: