Frankenstein Bio Reagents began around 2002 in Cambridge (MA) when Vlado Gelev, a chemist among biophysicists, started supplying his friends with 13C-methyl amino acid precursors.
See What You Want to See
Every chemist dreams of seeing molecules. Frankenstein Bio Reagents began in 2002 in Cambridge (MA) when Vlado Gelev, a chemist among biophysicists, began supplying his friends with 13C-keto acids, to improve the observation of proteins by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Later, the operation expanded to the synthesis of deuterated detergents and lipids, which are “invisible” to NMR and thus facilitate the study of membrane proteins. Use of deuterated LDAO detergent was instrumental in the first NMR structure determination of an integral membrane protein in 2008 and the following year FB Reagents was registered as a DBA in Massachusetts. In 2014 the company relocated to Vlado’s hometown of Sofia, Bulgaria (EU), where he was offered an exciting University faculty position. FB Reagents Ltd. has two full time employees, enjoys part time help from students, benefits from the expertise of Sofia University faculty, and continues to collaborate with biophysicists worldwide. In 2019 we were part of a multidisciplinary team that developed 13C-19F amino acids with remarkably sharp NMR signals. In 2021 our team introduced “locally deuterated” leucine for the study of proteins expressed in mammalian and insect cells. Our deuterated lipids are increasingly popular in neutron scattering studies of membranes.
FB Reagents now offers a wide range of deuterated detergents and lipids, a unique selection of 13C- and 19F-labeled amino acids, and a gradually expanding catalog of other fine chemicals. Our products are distributed by Cambridge Isotope Laboratories (USA), Larodan (Sweden), Cortecnet (France), and others. Whether you look at molecules through NMR, neutron scattering, Raman spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, or another technique, we are excited to help you see what you want to see.