Infectious diseases remain one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. From pandemics like COVID-19 to endemic threats such as tuberculosis and malaria, the constant emergence of new pathogens and variants calls for rapid, robust, and high-resolution tools to unravel host-pathogen interactions. Phage display—renowned for its high-throughput selection capabilities and biological relevance—offers unmatched potential in profiling immune responses, mapping epitope landscapes, and isolating novel antigens or antibody targets. Whether the goal is to identify dominant antigens in bacteria, viruses, and parasites or to explore host-derived response signatures, phage display delivers the specificity and scalability modern research demands. At Creative Biolabs, we stand at the forefront of this effort, harnessing the power of phage display technology to accelerate infectious disease research. Our phage display for biomarker discovery services is built on this technology, which is ideally suited for research and allows us to screen millions of molecular interactions simultaneously. Our team has specialized in creating and screening vast phage display libraries to uncover critical molecular targets. Our end-to-end service is designed to help researchers pinpoint two crucial types of targets: the pathogen antigens that trigger an immune response and the host-response biomarkers that define the nature and severity of that response. This dual approach provides a comprehensive molecular snapshot of an infection, paving the way for next-generation medical interventions.
Discovery Target | What It Is | Why It's Important | Key Applications |
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Pathogen Antigen | A molecule from the pathogen (e.g., viral spike protein). | Recognized by the host immune system as "foreign." | Diagnostics, Vaccine Development, Therapeutic Targets |
Host-Response Marker | A molecule from the host (e.g., specific antibodies). | Reflects the host's reaction to the pathogen. | Prognosis, Patient Stratification, Understanding Pathogenesis |
How can we find the one crucial antigen among thousands of pathogen proteins, or the one significant antibody among millions in a patient's blood? The answer lies in bacteriophage display, a Nobel Prize-winning technology that provides the necessary scale and precision for this monumental task. A bacteriophage (or "phage") is a virus that infects bacteria. We can use genetic engineering to instruct a phage to display a specific peptide or protein on its outer coat while carrying the genetic code for that peptide/protein inside. A phage display library is a vast collection of such phages, often containing billions of unique variants. Each phage displays a different molecule, making the library an immense resource for finding a binder to virtually any target. For infectious disease research, we primarily use three types of libraries:
The core process of screening these massive libraries is called biopanning. It's an elegant in-vitro selection process designed to enrich for the rare phages that bind to a target of interest. This entire cycle is typically repeated 3-5 times. With each round, the washing steps can be more stringent, ensuring that only the highest-affinity binders are selected from the enriched pool. After the final round, individual phage clones are isolated, and the DNA inside is sequenced to identify the peptide or antibody responsible for the binding.
Fig.1 Phage display biopanning.1
At Creative Biolabs, we have refined the phage display workflow into a suite of powerful, customizable services to address the key questions in infectious disease research.
This service is designed to identify immunogenic proteins from a pathogen of interest, which can serve as targets for diagnostics, vaccines, or therapeutics. Key steps are:
This service aims to characterize the antibody repertoire produced by the host during an infection, providing deep insights into immunity and pathogenesis. This approach inverts the previous one.
Options Available | |
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Library Type | Random peptide, phage-scFv, Fab, VHH, or custom synthetic libraries |
Target Sample | Purified antigen, live pathogen, host serum, PBMCs, CSF, BALF |
Screening Strategy | In-solution, solid-phase, magnetic beads, cell-based, tissue slice-based |
Downstream Analysis | ELISA, Western blot, Immunofluorescence, Flow cytometry, Epitope binning, SPR |
Output | Validated clones, sequences, binding kinetics, and epitope maps |
The fight against infectious diseases demands innovation and precision. Phage display offers an unparalleled platform for uncovering the critical molecular targets needed to develop the next generation of diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines. At Creative Biolabs, we provide a phage display-based screening platform tailored to identify pathogen-derived antigens and host-response markers, accelerating biomarker discovery and therapeutic lead identification. Creative Biolabs has the technology, expertise, and dedication to help you succeed.
and let's collaborate to accelerate your research.Q: How do I know which phage display library is best for my research?
A: Our team of experts will assist you in choosing the best library based on your research objectives, whether you are studying bacterial, viral, or host markers. We consider factors such as the nature of the pathogen and the type of immune response you want to investigate.
Q: What types of samples can I use for phage display screening in infectious disease research?
A: We accept a broad range of sample types, including purified pathogen antigens, whole-cell lysates, live or inactivated pathogens, as well as host-derived specimens such as serum, plasma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), BALF, and PBMCs. All samples are handled following strict biosafety protocols.
Q: Can you help with identifying novel antigens in emerging infectious diseases?
A: Yes. We specialize in working with emerging pathogens by utilizing custom libraries, providing flexibility to target novel antigens. Our platform allows screening against newly discovered pathogens using synthetic peptide libraries or recombinant antigens from gene sequences.
Q: What are the limitations of using phage display in infectious disease research?
A: While phage display is compelling, it may be limited when working with extremely large or complex antigens. Some membrane proteins or highly glycosylated structures may require additional preparation or different display formats to ensure successful binding. We collaborate closely with clients to design the best approach for their specific targets.
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Please kindly note that our services can only be used to support research purposes (Not for clinical use).
Creative Biolabs is a globally recognized phage company. Creative Biolabs is committed to providing researchers with the most reliable service and the most competitive price.