Anna is part of the Glycobiology and Analytical Chemistry teams, bringing expertise in the production of purified reference standards and glycopeptides for glycan analysis and glycoproteomics workflows. As Product Manager, she also leads the development and management of glycan-related products, ensuring they align with both scientific advancements and market demands. Her responsibilities extend to creating and updating technical documentation, providing customer support, and collaborating on R&D projects focused on developing novel glycobiology reagents
In this interview, we delve into Asparia’s approach to product and service development, exploring applications across various industries and academic research through Anna’s perspective. Additionally, we’ll touch upon Asparia’s contributions to R&D projects, such as the IDIMO project, which focuses on developing innovative medical devices that enhance safety, durability and personalization in healthcare.
Asparia’s commitment to science and industry.
What industries or research areas benefit the most from Asparia’s products?
Asparia’s products are widely used in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, playing a key role in drug development, cancer research, infectious disease treatments, and personalized medicine. Additionally, academic research in fields such as glycobiology, immunology, and oncology benefits significantly from our products, advancing the understanding of glycan functions and improving therapeutic and diagnostic solutions. Our glycan standards and glycoanalysis services are valuable tools for both experimental research and applied scientific development.
What makes Asparia’s products and services a reliable choice for potential clients?
Asparia’s products and services are known for their reliability, high-quality standards, rigorous quality control, and extensive expertise in glycobiology. We offer tailored solutions that address the unique needs of both academic and industrial clients.
Which are the measures Asparia take for ensuring precision and efficiency of their products?
Asparia ensures the precision and efficiency of its products through strict quality control measures and adherence to rigorous production processes. The company focuses on optimizing reaction conditions, validating analytical methods, and employing advanced characterization techniques such as HPLC, mass spectrometry, and NMR.
Has Asparia implemented any sustainable practices in its product development?
Asparia integrates sustainable practices into its product development by prioritizing efficient use of resources, minimizing waste, and adopting environmentally friendly methods wherever possible. Our processes are designed to align with sustainability goals, such as reducing the environmental impact of chemical synthesis and implementing responsible sourcing of materials. Furthermore, we continuously evaluate and improve workflows to ensure ecological balance while maintaining product quality and innovation.
Specific applications of Asparia’s products and services
Which of Asparia’s products or services do you think are particularly beneficial for probiotics development, and why?
Asparia services are beneficial as long as the probiotics have a glycan nature or impact on the glycome. We help study, analyze their effects, and synthesize glycan prebiotics (oligosaccharides, polysaccharides). This is particularly relevant to synthesizing HMOs, for instance. Regarding our glycoanalytical services, we can map the glycan signatures of a healthy versus dysbiotic gut and other related conditions. We can also help identify glycan patterns that indicate probiotic effectiveness or provide the probiotic compound´s exact structure. This is strikingly important for regulatory and commercial purposes. In any case, those are just some examples, and we like to work on a project basis, in a very customer and project-centric way providing the answer to the client’s needs.
Are there specific Asparia products or services that you would recommend for biotechnology research, biopharmaceutical development, or clinical diagnostics?
For biotechnology research, biopharmaceutical development, and clinical diagnostics, we highly recommend Asparia’s new set of N-glycan standards developed at Asparia Glycomics. N-glycosylation is a critical quality attribute of therapeutic proteins, directly impacting their safety, stability, and effectiveness. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) guideline (ICH Q6B) mandates the characterization of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) glycosylation profiles during production and prior to drug release. However, due to the high number of isomers, glycan characterization can be challenging, even with mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. Our N-glycan standards, covering typical bi-antennary N-glycans found in human antibodies, offer a reliable solution for precise glycan analysis, helping address this complexity and ensuring accurate characterization in line with regulatory requirements.
Could you share an example of how Asparia’s products have recently supported academic research? How does Asparia adapt to specific research requirements?
Asparia supports academic research by providing high-quality glycobiology tools tailored to meet the specific requirements of academic researchers. For instance, our custom-labeled N-glycan standards have been crucial in advancing glycan analysis in various university-led studies. Asparia’s ability to adapt to specific research needs is evident in our flexibility to develop and deliver specialized glycan or glycopeptide standards that fit unique experimental setups. Additionally, the company collaborates with academic partners to co-develop innovative methods, such as streamlined glycan isolation techniques or novel glycoproteomics workflows.
Asparia’s contribution to R&D projects
What R&D projects is Asparia currently involved in?
Asparia is actively engaged in a variety of R&D projects aimed at advancing glycobiology and glycan analysis. Our current efforts include developing innovative glycan and glycopeptide standards, creating novel reagents for analytical workflows, and exploring new methods for glycan analysis. We also collaborate with both industry and academic partners to tackle specific challenges in glycoscience, focusing on enhancing precision, efficiency, and innovation in glycobiology and biopharmaceutical development. One significant initiative is our involvement in the IDIMO project, a leading collaborative effort focused on developing innovative medical devices to improve the control and monitoring of immune response and associated infections. This project brings together a consortium of distinguished companies and technological centers in the biomedical field of Euskadi.
How does Asparia benefit from collaborating on innovative R&D projects with partners from diverse fields?
Collaboration offers significant benefits to Asparia, as each partner brings specialized knowledge and skills. By working together, we expand our collective capabilities and accelerate innovation through shared resources. Additionally, the diverse skill sets and perspectives of our partners foster the development of more robust and versatile solutions, enabling breakthroughs that might not have been achievable through a single, isolated approach.
What is Asparia’s role in the IDIMO project, and what are your expectations for its outcomes?
Asparia’s role in the IDIMO project involves leveraging its expertise in glycoscience to contribute to the development of innovative methodologies and products. This includes designing and synthesizing of new N-glycan standards and glycopeptides and optimizing analytical workflows or integrating new technologies for glycan analysis and applications.