MACS Matchmaker

Getting Started

This guide walks you through your first measurement on the MACS Matchmaker, from powering on to viewing results. Each step links to the detailed reference section so you can dive deeper when needed.

Steps 1–3 prepare the hardware and the liquids, step 4 is done in software, and 5 and 6 are the run itself. Analysis begins once the measurement exists, and shutting down protects the flow path for whoever is next on the instrument.

1. Prepare the Instrument

  1. Switch on the MACS Sampler first, then the MACS Matchmaker.
  2. Ensure the waste bottles are empty and the running buffer bottle is full and connected.
  3. Check that the MilliQ wash bottle on the MACS Sampler is filled to prevent air bubbles. The Injections card on the Perform page shows how much the run needs.

For full details, see the Instrument Setup Workflow.

2. Select and Assemble the Chip

  1. Choose the appropriate chip type for your assay. Use DDI chips (oligo-based) for regenerable assays or Click Chemistry chips (Tz/Me-Tz) for covalent immobilization. Refer to the Chip Selection Guide for help choosing.
  2. Align the triangle on the chip with the chamber marker. In a 4-screw chamber the Lino logo faces up; in a 6-screw chamber it faces down toward the channels.
  3. Secure the lid with finger-tight screws.

Step-by-step assembly instructions are in the Chip Assembly section.

3. Prepare Samples and Buffer

  1. Choose a running buffer and supplement it, following Samples and Buffer Recommendations.
  2. Prepare the analyte dilutions your experiment plan calls for — for a titration series, the concentrations chosen in Assay Types.
  3. Clarify complex media by centrifugation and take only the supernatant, so aggregates do not reach the fluidics.
  4. Load the samples into the autosampler and the buffer into the buffer position.

4. Design Your Experiment

The guided experiment wizard is the quickest route for a kinetics, LOD or scouting run: it asks for a goal, the instrument, the samples and the method, and writes a complete plan you can still edit. Use the Advanced Planner when you need to place every phase by hand:

  1. Immobilization — functionalize the chip with your ligand.
  2. Kinetics — a titration series, a single-cycle kinetics phase or a multi-cycle kinetics phase, built from the design in Assay Types.
  3. Regeneration — on a reusable surface, a step that returns the baseline between cycles. Conditions and how to validate them are in Sensor Regeneration.

Flows, injection volumes and pickup volumes for each phase are in the tables on Experiment Design.

For the per-phase table, see Recommended Flow Parameters. For detailed protocols, see Experiment Design and Surface Functionalization.

5. Prime and Prepare the Reader

  1. Go to the Perform Tab and select the corresponding experiment.
  2. Select the flow channel in the software.
  3. Run Prepare Reader. If the flow chamber selected on the Prepare page differs from the saved experiment plan, review the warning before measuring. When all status indicators show "Success", you are ready to measure.
  4. If preparation fails, use "Reoptimize" or manually check:
    • Coupling should be symmetrical across all 8 channels.
    • The Fourier Aperture should show symmetric intensity distribution.
  5. Validate the preparation by clicking on Check Molograms. If the molograms are not recognized, repeat Prepare Reader.
  6. Check for air bubbles on the chip surface. If present, prime the chip once or twice. If bubbles persist, reassemble the chip.

Manual coupling and XY-stage adjustment are described in Manual Chip Preparation.

6. Run the Measurement

  1. Review your injection plan and verify vial placement on the well plate.
  2. Press Start Measurement. The sensorgram will begin recording in real time.
  3. Monitor the live trace for expected binding behavior. If no signal increase appears during association, check the Troubleshooting guide.

More measurements on the same chip can be queued while this one runs: the Run button in the experiment list and the New Measurement button on the Perform page turn into Schedule Measurement. See Scheduling the Next Measurement.

7. Analyze Your Data

  1. Open your measurement in Insights.
  2. Use Clean Up Data to remove offsets, cut irrelevant parts, and smooth the signal. Start by removing the offset so all traces begin at zero.
  3. Select the single-cycle or multi-cycle kinetics phase and click Determine Kinetics.
  4. Choose a binding model (start with Langmuir 1:1 for simple interactions) and run the evaluation.
  5. Review the fitted curves and extracted parameters (kon, koff, KD).

For model selection guidance, see Binding Models. For background on the theory, see Biomolecular Interaction Analysis.

8. Shut Down

  1. Flush the fluidics system with ultrapure water using the Flush Fluidics procedure.
  2. If you used complex samples (blood, lysate), run the full cleaning protocol with Clean 1 and Clean 2 solutions.
  3. For storage beyond 24 hours, run 20% ethanol through the system.

See Maintenance for detailed cleaning and storage procedures.