“Our imaging work is mainly chemiluminescent blots of proteins associated with inflammatory diseases and is done by PhD and post-doctoral scientists, as well as students on our Masters’ course in Applied Biosciences. We were using ECL/X-ray film for this, but it was costly, required a darkroom and was difficult to obtain good quantitative results, which is why we assessed automated imagers.”
“We decided to purchase a G:BOX Chemi XRQ because the imaging box is easy to upgrade and Syngene staff are more knowledgeable when we ask technical questions. Our G:BOX Chemi XRQ is now in regular use because it is simple for everyone to set up and produces good quality images. We are pleased we chose the G:BOX Chemi XRQ imager for our lab.”
“We are a department of 70 scientists mainly investigating breast cancer. Recently, we moved laboratory to a space which hadn’t got a darkroom and could no longer develop X-ray films of our chemiluminescent blots. We decided the time was right to move to digitising our imaging and reviewed systems from three different suppliers.”
“We installed the G:BOX Chemi XX6 in January 2017 because the system produces high quality images in a broad range of applications. We are very pleased with the G:BOX Chemi XX6 as it is simple to use and allows us to have a higher throughput of results compared to using X-ray film. We also like the fact that the system is easy to upgrade for different types of imaging.”
“We work with clinical diagnostic vaccines and after vaccination we have to image which proteins are being expressed by neutrophils and leukocytes on chemi labelled Western blots. This is time consuming to do manually using X-ray film and is why we needed an automated analyser in our laboratory.”
“Several scientists from other laboratories all recommended Syngene imagers for performance and quality. In 2015, we purchased a Syngene system without reviewing any others. My colleague and I have found our Syngene system is easy to use and has helped us obtain our Western blot results very rapidly.”
We are analysing chemiluminescent Western blots to look for expression of thrombospondin proteins. These can form oligomers which are larger than 200 kDa but can have low expression so it is very difficult using chemiluminescent blots and X-ray film to get the exposure just right to detect these proteins.
In 2017, we decided to install the Syngene G:BOX Chemi XRQ because this system can accurately image large gels and blots with ease. Using the G:BOX Chemi XRQ we can leave the system capturing multiple images and exposures and can always detect our proteins quantitatively even when the signal is faint, avoiding the risk of over-exposure. This means we can analyse our chemi blots more easily and have much more confidence in our results.
“We are analysing chemiluminescent Western blots to look for expression of proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases. We were spending a huge amount of time using X-Ray film to visualize our Western blots. This was difficult, as well as time consuming.”
“We chose to upgrade from our old Syngene gel doc, which we have used for many years but couldn’t analyse Western blots on, to the newer G:BOX Chemi XX6 imaging system in 2016. Now 10 scientists regularly use the G:BOX Chemi XX6 to detect their chemiluminescent proteins and we may in future use the system for fluorescent Western blots too. We all like the G:BOX Chemi XX6 because the software is easy to use and we can obtain our results quickly.”
“We are studying the changes that occur following exposure to stressors in non-coding RNAs in the model Gram positive bacteria, Bacillus subtilis. This may identify potential genetic targets, which could help in developing new anti-microbial therapies for drug-resistant bacteria. As part of this research we need an imager that can analyse chemi labelled Northern and Western blots, as well as image 25 cm plates of fluorescent protein expressing E. coli and B. subtilis colonies.”
“When we assessed the available image analysers, we found that the G:BOX Chemi XX6 is the only one with the flexibility to perform all these tasks so the system sold itself really. Since we installed the G:BOX Chemi XX6 in 2015, the system has become a well-used workhorse and we have not yet found a fluorescence or chemi application the G:BOX Chemi XX6 cannot perform.”
“We need to image Western blots of a fluorescent peptide to fish out key interacting protein partners to an essential transcription factor linked to leukaemia and other cancers. We can’t capture our results using X-ray film because we are limited on space and don’t have room for a darkroom where we could develop film.”
“We chose the PXi for our lab in 2013 because the system is small, yet can do so many imaging applications. Around 20 scientists in our institutes have used the PXi since then and this has saved us time as the system is more sensitive than film and we don’t have to keep repeating our Western blots. Using the PXi system, has saved us not only time but a lot of money on the costs of consumables such as film and developing agents so we love our PXi system.”
“We are studying a range of large human plasma proteins using oversized agarose gels and large blots. We assessed the G:BOX Chemi XX6 alongside other image analysers and found this was the only systems that could accommodate such big gels and blots, which is why we chose to install the G:BOX Chemi XX6 in 2015.”
“We have since found the software with the G:BOX Chemi XX6 is simple to use, making it easy for us to calibrate our markers and analyse all the protein bands and spots we want to. The system allows us the versatility for the diverse number of current and future projects we have to work on so we are very happy to have chosen the G:BOX Chemi XX6 imager.”
“Our Lab is focused on gap junction-mediated intercellular communication. We study expression of gap junction proteins (connexins) under various physiological and pathological conditions. To analyse our results we need an imager that can perform well with DNA gels and chemiluminescent Western blots.”
“We reviewed a range of imaging systems and chose the G:BOX XRQ because it provides us the best all-round performance for an affordable price. We like working with the G:BOX XRQ because the system makes it easy to produce good publication quality pictures all in one programme and we can upgrade by buying other filters for fluorescent Western blots as and when we need them.”
“We’ve been using the Syngene G:BOX Chemi XX6 since 2013 for imaging chemi blots to determine how conditions such as diabetes, Hepatitis C infection and obesity affect the amounts of drug metabolising enzymes that are expressed.”
“During that time, the G:BOX Chemi XX6 has worked well and we’ve had great training and service from Syngene. I’d definitely recommend the G:BOX Chemi XX6 to any scientist because the system is really easy to use and gives us good quality images every time.”
“We need quality control methods that are both fast and accurate to make sure we deliver the best antibodies. We used an infrared fluorescence detector for imaging our chemiluminescent Western blots but found it took too long to get the data so in 2007 we installed a G:BOX Chemi XT16 to see if CCD imaging would increase our throughput.
We were delighted to find the G:BOX Chemi XT16 generated accurate results in a fraction of the time and as it costs half the price of an infrared detector it made sense to install another three in 2008. Now we use four G:BOX Chemi XT16 systems to image more than 200 Western blots every week. Obtaining the data is now so much quicker and easier and we are supplying more scientists than ever with high-quality antibodies thanks to our G:BOX Chemi XT16 systems”.
“We’re using rabbit and mouse models to study the effects of glucose in metabolic diseases. To do this, we often have to analyse large protein gels and blots and leave our chemiluminescent Westerns developing for a long time with film to get good results.”
“To get away from using film, we reviewed three image analysers and in 2014 chose the G:BOX Chemi XRQ because the system can easily image large gels and blots and the GeneSys software makes it simple to set up. Also the system’s binning feature gives us incredible sensitivity so for price and performance, the G:BOX Chemi XRQ is the clear winner.”
“We are a start-up biotech developing new technology in the fast developing DNA therapeutics field. As a small business we need to work quickly and efficiently and rely on equipment that is simple to operate and delivers what we want with high precision. In this respect, G:BOX EF meets all our needs.”
“Even though we have only had the G:BOX EF for a very short time, it is now being used to routinely analyse all our DNA and protein gels and its “point and shoot” capability has saved us countless hours. I have worked with several other gel doc systems and I can honestly say the G:BOX EF is one of the best I have used.”
“At Maastricht University we run a bachelors science programme to train students in complex molecular biology techniques. In this programme, students extract proteins from mosses, tropical leaves and insects, run the proteins on gels and then transfer them onto Western blots. On this course we need an imaging system that allows students to easily switch applications, to train them to analyse different gel and blot types.”
“After assessing two other imaging systems in 2012, we chose a G:BOX Chemi imager for the programme because the GeneSys software which comes with the G:BOX Chemi is much easier to use with minimal training. We have found the quality of the apparatus is very good and the service we have had from Syngene has been perfect in helping us to install and set up the G:BOX Chemi system so that our enthusiastic students can use it without any difficulty.”
“We installed a Dyversity imaging system in 2008 because we needed to accurately detect small amounts of proteins associated with the human aging process. The Dyversity has been very easy to use as the training and the technical support we have had from Syngene have been exceptional.”
“With the system, we have been able to rapidly generate reproducible data which let us measure phosphorylation levels of different signal transduction molecules in insulin-like-growth factor1 pathway so the quantification and analysis capabilities of the Dyversity are exactly right for our work.”
“We’re a synthetic biology group of nine researchers and we perform a number of different molecular biology imaging tasks including DNA detection using safe dyes and analysis of proteins on chemiluminescent Westerns.”
“We assessed two analysers side by side and in 2013 installed the G:BOX Chemi XT4. We chose the G:BOX Chemi XT4 because the technical support we had during the trials was excellent and we like the GeneSys software as it is very intuitive to use. The results we’re seeing are accurate and we particularly like the fact we can get access to good technical service and obtain free software upgrades to make sure the G:BOX stays current as this will make having the G:BOX Chemi XT4 a very cost-effective purchase for our lab.”
“We originally installed a GeneGenius system in 1999 and Syngene upgraded this for us to a G:BOX a couple of years ago. This G:BOX is very heavily used and last year we needed another one to cope with the demand. Since our first G:BOX has been very reliable and the support we have had from Syngene has been so fantastic, we had no hesitation in installing a G:BOX chemiluminescence imager as our next system.
Both G:BOX systems are very versatile and we use them in research to image standard DNA gels, gelatin zymograms and autoradiograms and even our final year students find them very easy to use. I would recommend the G:BOX systems to anyone wanting a great image analyser for their molecular biology research.”
“We breed new potato varieties for use all over the world. In 2013, we installed a G:BOX image analyser because we need to have digital images of gels of our potato DNA fingerprints. This makes it easier for us to trace the origins of varieties and to have an audit trail for each new one we develop. We chose the G:BOX because it can accommodate our oversized gels and easily image them; with other systems we looked at we had to chop our gel into two pieces to image it and then stick the images together, which is too time consuming.”
“We also like the fact that Syngene has developed the software and hardware for the G:BOX and we can have direct contact with their experts to discuss what we want to do. The support we had from Syngene’s team has been very good and we’re very happy with our G:BOX system because it has made this part of the task of trying to identify unknown potato varieties much simpler.”
“We assessed two CCD-based imagers and decided to purchase the G:BOX Chemi because the system is the most user-friendly as the GeneSys software guides you through everything and you don’t have to be an imaging expert to take a blot picture. The service from Syngene is also very good. With other systems we have installed, the reps haven’t been back but with the G:BOX Chemi we had a return visit to check everything was OK and had help with software when we needed it because Syngene’s team is knowledgeable and approachable.”
“We currently use the G:BOX Chemi regularly to image agarose and acrylamide DNA or RNA gels and sometimes use the G:BOX to image plate-assays of bacteria expressing fluorescent luciferase. The system is very popular as many other researchers and students come to use the G:BOX Chemi to image DNA gels now instead of using our old gel doc because the quality of the images is just so much better.”
“Our G:BOX Chem HR16 has been fantastic. The system is in constant use for analysing both gels and Western blots and does at least 10 runs every day. We have been so impressed with our Syngene image analyser and the excellent technical support team’s can do attitude that we are looking to purchase another Syngene G:BOX specifically for proteomics.”
“When we first got our G:BOX chemiluminescence image analyser in 2007, I was apprehensive about using it because other systems I had seen and used were very complicated and difficult to programme so I was expecting this to be the same. Then, I got started and realised how simple it was to set up and image my chemiluminescent blots, I was really pleasantly surprised.”
“Ever since, I have regularly used the G:BOX system and have been able to detect poorly expressed proteins. Also using the system’s superb resolving power has allowed me to separate close bands. Now I wouldn’t use anything else but a G:BOX system for analysing my Westerns.”
“We have had wonderful service from Syngene in the past with our GeneGnome systems so we’re used to using the GeneTools analysis software and we like it. When it came to finding a system for imaging fluorescent Western blots in 2013, we chose the PXi Touch because the system performed well alongside a laser based scanner but was less expensive and came with a longer warranty.”
“We now use the PXi Touch to perform multiplex fluorescent blotting work and interchange fluorescence and chemi on the same blot to obtain great accuracy and reproducibility of results. Since the PXi Touch is easy for everyone in our laboratory to use with minimal training, we have even got the white light box and transilluminator so we can extend its use for imaging protein and DNA gels as well. In short, we are very pleased with our PXi Touch as the system does exactly what Syngene said it would!”
“We had our GeneGenius upgraded to a G:BOX more than two years ago by Syngene’s excellent support team. They were very knowledgeable and were able to talk us through any technical questions we had. The G:BOX is now very heavily used all day, every day for analysing DNA and protein gels and we print over 500 gel images every month. In short, the G:BOX is a gel imaging workhorse that works!”
“We decided to upgrade our gel doc to an InGenius system because we found the InGenius is more sensitive than others we looked at in the same price range, and we can save our images in a TIFF format. This is important to us, as we can still use the existing DNA analysis software that we like to analyse our gel images.”
“We are looking for microbial DNA stained with SYBR Green in colonic samples taken from children with chronic digestive diseases. The DNA bands on our gels are often low intensity so we need an imager which can detect these. Syngene’s technical team is very honest and they advised us on the right lighting and filter combination to allow us to easily visualise our DNA. We’re very pleased we purchased an InGenius.”
“We have been using our G:BOX EF since 2009 to routinely detect PCR products derived from parasitic red worms that infect horses. We chose the G:BOX EF because we can use it to visualise DNA stained with SYBR® Safe using blue light, which means it is much safer for us than using toxic stains and UV light.”
“We easily set up our G:BOX EF straight from the box and so far we have found the system easy to navigate around. Even our students can use the G:BOX EF with minimal supervision. The G:BOX EF can detect small amounts of sometimes low intensity PCR product very well so is ideal for our research.”
“We chose a Dyversity system in 2010 after reviewing two other image analyzers because it is reasonably priced and includes filters and software that are useful for analyzing our 2D gels. We are using Dyversity to detect proteins extracted from the tears of patients with different eye diseases and with this system, we can easily capture high-quality images of our gels and blots, which we analyze using Syngene’s GeneTools and Dymension software.”
“The service we have had from Syngene has been excellent because we always receive support whenever we need it. Using Dyversity has helped us to establish good proteomic profiles in several ocular diseases and we have written three papers using data generated by the Dyversity, so we are very happy with our Dyversity system.”
“We have been using the GeneGnome since 2003 for imaging Western blots to determine how changes in phospholipase C affect the regulation of proteins during mitosis. During this time we have only had to make one change to the hardware, which Syngene came in and did on-site. When we need to purchase another chemiluminescent imager, we’ll definitely go for another from Syngene because using a GeneGnome and working with Syngene has been an entirely positive experience.”
“We wanted to visualize gels stained with SYBR® Safe, as it is less hazardous than having students use Ethidium bromide. In 2008, we installed a Syngene gel documentation system because it is much more sensitive than the Polaroid camera we were using and it easily detects SYBR Safe stained DNA.”
“We now use the Syngene system all the time to teach our students how to image and quantify DNA. Every year over 60 students use the system to analyze multiple experiments, and then upload the results to our internal web site. They love it because it is intuitive. Each student can quickly produce an image of their gel, which is good as it prevents long lines of grumpy students lining up to use the system. I’d highly recommend a Syngene gel doc for use in teaching labs!”
“Since 2007, we have been using the Dyversity 2D image analysis system to analyze proteins associated with brain tumors on chemiluminescent Westerns and have detected and quantified bands which we haven’t been able to see using other image analyzers. We also use Dyversity with Dymension 2D analysis software to quantify protein spots on 2D gels because the two together make this complicated analysis straightforward.”
“The technical support we have had from Syngene is excellent. They have taught us how to use the software efficiently and have always been prompt to respond to all our queries with helpful suggestions. I would go so far as to say we have never had such great support from any other company and I would recommend a Dyversity and Dymension to anyone thinking of doing 2D gel work.”
“We’ve had a G:BOX Chemi for over two years and we use it for analysis of DNA fragments to examine relationships between taxa. We compared the G:BOX Chemi with three others from leading manufacturers and chose this system because it makes gel documentation very straightforward and offers the best performance.
We have been very pleased with the G:BOX Chemi and by Syngene’s responsive technical support, so when we needed another gel doc system we knew purchasing a second G:BOX was the right decision”.
“We use our G:BOX Chemi HR16 regularly for teaching students how to visualize DNA and proteins on gels and proteins on Western blots. The system is simple to work with and the students can use it with very little training. Since the software is so intuitive, it is almost impossible for them to get things wrong!”
“We have also found the real-time, on-line technical support service is excellent. As we’re a bit off the beaten track here, we cannot always wait for an engineer or rep to come out and it’s very reassuring to know Syngene support staff can help us remotely to rapidly resolve any technical questions which arise.”
“We installed our first Syngene system in 2001 and now have 11 in our research and teaching lab. We use them because, unlike other imagers we have tried, Syngene systems can accurately detect DNA and RNA stained with SYBR® Safe. Syngene systems are quick and easy to set up, which is important as we often have 200 students in our sessions, all of whom need to capture their gel images. The units are very hardy too and our first Syngene system is still working well today, despite being tested to its limits.”
“The support we receive from Insta BioAnalytik, Syngene’s agents here is great and if we have a problem, they help us to fix it quickly. This is good because with such heavily used systems, we can’t afford any downtime. When we need new image analysers, we always look at the latest Syngene one first, as Syngene systems have proved to be perfect for all our different needs.”
“We know Syngene systems are reliable as we have had a Syngene gel doc for years which has survived being used to its absolute limits. When we needed a second image analyser for imaging Westerns of protein associated with muscular dystrophy, we looked at others but finally stayed loyal to Syngene and installed a G:BOX iChemi XT.”
“This was a great decision because the G:BOX iChemi XT is not as expensive as many that can image fluorescent Westerns, yet the system can detect low levels of proteins using ECL imaging, as well as overlay fluorescent Westerns. This has allowed us to compare different labels directly on the same blot, and more importantly, to have total confidence that the qualitative data on up and down-regulated proteins produced by the G:BOX iChemi XT is accurate.”
“We test both raw and processed foods and fish using PCR and PCR-RFLP analysis to determine whether they contain other species of fish or meat than the labels state. Because we are running and staining many gels we prefer to use non-toxic SYBR Safe stain so we need a system that can detect DNA stained with this dye at the nanogram level to ensure our tests are sensitive enough. This is why we installed the G:BOX EF in 2008 because it is capable of doing just that.”
“The G:BOX EF can detect 20ng of SYBR Safe stained DNA to give us the answers we need to help safeguard the public. I have found the G:BOX EF is very easy to work with because the software guides you through everything you need to do. Even when we had a technical problem, the service we received from Syngene was excellent and we were up and running again in no time, which is very important in a quality testing environment.”
“We are a core protein production facility, so we clone and express a wide range of proteins. We chose to install a G:BOX chemiluminescence imaging system in 2008 because of the three we assessed it is the most flexible, has the most user-friendly software and produces a data set that is much simpler to manage for chemiluminescent Westerns than autoradiography.”
“Since then, we’ve seen more and more researchers in the university switching away from using X-ray film for their chemiluminescent blots and over to the G:BOX chemiluminescence imager, which I think shows how easy this system is to use.”
“We work with up and down-regulated genes and proteins from fruit fly eyes, which can generate very weak chemiluminescent signal. We stain our DNA with SYBR SafeTM DNA gel stain, protein gels with Coomassie® Blue R and immunoblots with ECL PlusTM, so we have to have an imager that can handle all these applications.”
“After reviewing four imaging systems, we decided to install the G:BOX iChemi XR because it gave us the value of essentially having two systems in one and the GeneTools analysis software is, in my opinion, the best on the market.”
“Our Dyversity system is used by a number of different research groups to image chemiluminescent and fluorescent Westerns, as well as DNA and protein gels of a variety of cancers. The service we have had from Syngene is excellent, as they trained us to get the best out of the Dyversity’s software and even helped us with a more unusual fluorescence application.”
“We have used different imagers in the past and they were so complicated to set up that it is great to use the Dyversity system where the software is intuitive. Using the system we have obtained perfect chemiluminescent blot results, without having to stand over them or become a camera expert, which makes Dyversity the perfect imager for our research.”
“We work on ways of producing clover that can grow and retain their nutrients in more difficult conditions to maintain pastures of these important crops. To analyse specific genes from the new varieties we breed, we needed to visualise small amounts of DNA and RNA stained with GelRed, a stain that is safer, yet not as sensitive as Ethidium Bromide so we had to have an image analyser that could detect this dye. We had used a Syngene system before, which was very reliable and this is why we reviewed a G:BOX EF alongside other imagers for this application.”
“We installed our G:BOX EF image analyser in 2009 and have found the system is easy to set up and use and the camera can easily detect the GelRed band images. When we had questions about more advanced procedures on the G:BOX EF system, we found the technical services people at Syngene very easy to talk to and they quickly helped us do everything we wanted to. In short, the G:BOX EF system has proved to be perfect for us to perform safe, sensitive DNA and RNA analysis.”
“In 2007 we started using the Syngene Dyversity system to speed up the imaging of our DIGE* gels. We label our proteins with fluorescent dyes to detect differences in the protein composition and use Coomassie Blue stained gels to identify specific proteins by mass spectrometry. We utilise the Dyversity system, because it offers the possibility to use several wavelengths to detect fluorescent emissions of three or more labeled protein mixtures separated on the same two-dimensional electrophoresis gel.”
“Using the Dyversity system, we have analysed DIGE gels with at least three different colours to produce an image in just two minutes. We have been very happy with the Dyversity system because it has enabled us to rapidly analyse our gels and locate some very interesting proteins associated with neurodegenerative diseases.”
*DIGE is differential 2D gel electrophoresis