Before scientists can trust the results of a structural or functional assay, they first need confidence in the sample itself. Is the protein properly assembled? Is it stable in the chosen buffer? Are there aggregates, degradation products, or unexpected species hiding in the mixture? Answering these questions often requires multiple characterization techniques.
Traditional tools such as SDS-PAGE, size-exclusion chromatography, and dynamic light scattering remain widely used, but they can struggle with heterogeneous samples, disrupt native protein assemblies, or require lengthy workflows. For teams preparing samples for techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), native mass spectrometry, or biophysical binding assays, these limitations can slow progress and consume valuable material.
Using nanogram quantities of sample, MyMassMP enables fast, label-free protein characterization under native conditions in about one minute.
Refeyn
Mass photometry has emerged to address some of these challenges. The technique measures individual biomolecules in solution by detecting how they scatter light as they briefly interact with a glass surface. Because the scattering signal correlates with molecular mass, scientists can determine the size and relative abundance of different species in a sample without labels or extensive preparation.
Refeyn’s MyMass™ mass photometer (MyMassMP) brings this technology into a compact benchtop platform designed for rapid protein analysis. The system delivers measurements in about one minute using only nanogram quantities of sample and supports a broad mass range from 55 kDa to 3 MDa. With MyMassMP, scientists can quickly assess sample purity, monitor protein assembly, and evaluate how variables such as pH or denaturants affect stability before moving into more demanding downstream experiments.
As structural biology workflows become increasingly complex, rapidly validating sample quality is becoming essential. By combining single-molecule sensitivity with fast, label-free analysis in native conditions, MyMassMP helps researchers make faster, more informed decisions while conserving time and precious samples.
