Time resolved fluorescence (TRF) relies on the use of very specific fluorescent molecules called lanthanides. These fluorescent molecules have the unusual property of emitting over long periods of time (measured in milliseconds) after excitation, as opposed to most standard fluorescent molecules emit within a few nanoseconds of being excited.
TRF is a powerful tool for drug screening applications and pharmacodynamics (PD) assays. If one can generate or procure the proper reagents, TRF methods are performed using a form called TR-FRET (time-resolved fluorescence energy transfer) assays. These are very robust methods that can be automated and miniaturized which make it highly useful for drug screening.
We at KCAS use TRF for helping our clients with drug screening applications to monitor molecular interactions and motions that occur in the picosecond-nanosecond time range. TRF is especially useful in the analysis of biomolecular structure and dynamics. Additionally, we use the TRF technology for biomarker and PD assays for support of a variety of therapies, including kinase activity and signaling pathways.