Since the advent of hybridoma technology, introduced by Kohler and Milstein in 1976, monoclonal antibodies have served as complementary elements in the areas of genetic research, immunology, and therapeutic applications. At the University of Chicago, this technology was pioneered by Dr. Frank Fitch in the Department of Pathology, who generated many monoclonal antibodies still used today in the field of Immunology. In 1995, the Frank W. Fitch Monoclonal Antibody Facility was created to promote this technology and make core services available to the University of Chicago community. The facility’s goal is to work closely with investigators to offer comprehensive hybridoma and protein production services, using state-of-the-art technology, suited to the specific basic science research or clinical needs of the investigator.
The Frank W. Fitch Monoclonal Antibody Facility continues to provide a growing range of standard and custom services related to monoclonal antibodies, protein purification and conjugation, tissue culture technique and frozen cell storage. We can offer advice on the development of custom murine ELISA assays and we have extensive experience in the area of hamster ELISAs. Our collection of hybridomas and their related antibodies is continuing to expand and the cost per milligram is only a fraction of that charged by commercial sources.

Antibody and protein production services include: