BERLIN, April 22, 2008 -- JPK Instruments AG said its ForceRobot automation system is now making force spectroscopy, a single-molecule technique that allows the real-time study of molecular interactions at the nanoscale, available to a broad range of scientists.

Force spectroscopy, which originated from the field of atomic force microscopy (AFM), provides the necessary sensitivity to characterize biomolecular interactions such as the unfolding forces of single proteins or forces of a single chemical bond. JPK Instruments said it has been leading the development of force spectroscopy as a routine technique for the life sciences AFM community, and the ForceRobot was developed through close cooperation with scientific pioneers in the field.

The product features a rigid head design with excellent low noise and drift specifications and is mounted on an integrated vibration-isolated platform. JPK said the ForceRobot's most exciting capability is that it can operate unattended to make up to 80,000 force curve measurements in 24 hours. It can also customize individual experiments with varying parameters, such as temperature or loading rate.

Until now, the company said, manual operation has prevented such a large measurement capacity, and users will appreciate its ability to screen different samples under extremely well-controlled experimental conditions.

JPK said the ForceRobot was designed with the experimentalist in mind. Open software design enables great flexibility in establishing measurement and analysis protocols, and the system may be monitored remotely through an Internet interface.

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A close-up view of the ForceRobot's rigid head.

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No longer is there the need for averaging, labeling or indirect conclusions, the company said, because the system delivers clear-cut results with forces and distances delivered in absolute numbers.

JPK said it will be showcasing the system June 24-26 at MicroScience 2008 in London, Stand H8.

For more information, visit: www.jpk.com; e-mail: info@jpk.com

JPK Instruments AG
Bouchéstrasse 12
Haus 2, Aufgang C
12435 Berlin, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 30-5331-12070
Fax: +49 (0) 30-5331-22555

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