ProteinSimple equipment
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ProteinSimple is an American manufacturer of life sciences analytical instrumentation and consumables, specializing in protein analysis. The company was founded in 2000 as Signal Analytics, Inc., renamed Cell Biosciences in 2003, and adopted the ProteinSimple name in 2011 before being acquired by Bio-Techne Corporation in August 2014. From its base in San Jose, it develops automated western blotting systems, capillary electrophoresis instruments, automated immunoassay platforms, and micro-flow imaging systems. On Questpair, 68 used ProteinSimple instruments are listed by 6 verified suppliers and distributors across 4 countries.
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ProteinSimple product list
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About ProteinSimple
ProteinSimple is an American manufacturer of life sciences analytical instrumentation and consumables, specializing in protein analysis. It was founded in 2000 as Signal Analytics, Inc., renamed Cell Biosciences in 2003, and took the ProteinSimple name in 2011. The company is headquartered in San Jose, United States, and has been part of Bio-Techne Corporation since an August 2014 acquisition valued at approximately $300 million. Its instruments cover automated western blotting, capillary electrophoresis, automated immunoassay, single-cell western blotting, and micro-flow imaging and particle analysis. On Questpair, 68 used instruments from this maker are listed by 6 verified suppliers and distributors across 4 countries.
The common thread across the range is automation of protein analysis, a field that sits at the centre of molecular biology, proteomics and biomanufacturing. The company's instruments do western blotting, immunoassay and capillary electrophoresis as walk-away runs rather than manual bench protocols. That places the catalogue squarely in biologics characterisation and protein quantitation work, where reproducibility across runs carries as much weight as the result of any single one. Automated western blotting for protein expression analysis is the technique the Simple Western line is built around, and automated immunoassay for cytokine and biomarker quantitation is what the Ella platform delivers from a cartridge. Capillary electrophoresis for charge variant analysis of monoclonal antibodies is the task the iCE and Maurice systems were designed to run, work that recurs across biomanufacturing quality workflows.
ProteinSimple product lines
The notable lines fall into clear groups. Simple Western covers Jess, Wes, Abby, Peggy Sue, Sally Sue and the NanoPro 1000, all built on capillary-based automated western blotting. The iCE and Maurice lines handle capillary electrophoresis, including isoelectric focusing and charge heterogeneity analysis used in antibody characterisation. Ella and the Simple Plex cartridges automate multiplex immunoassays, compressing a plate-based ELISA into a self-contained run. Milo extends western blotting to the single-cell level, resolving protein expression cell by cell rather than across a pooled lysate. The Micro-Flow Imaging, or MFI, systems image, count and size subvisible particles in a formulation, a measurement that matters in protein therapeutic development where aggregation is a known concern. Each of these is a distinct instrument class rather than a variant of one design, which is why a buyer should treat the line name as the first thing to confirm in a listing.
ProteinSimple instruments on Questpair
Every ProteinSimple listing in the Questpair catalogue is used, and 100 percent of the listings are used. Prices range from EUR 296 to EUR 44.590, with an average of EUR 13.555. That breadth reflects a catalogue that holds both low-cost consumables or accessories and complete capillary instruments, so the line and the condition of a given listing explain its price more than the brand does. The 68 instruments come from 6 verified suppliers and distributors in 4 countries, so availability of a specific platform varies with what those sellers currently hold rather than with a central stock. Where documentation or manuals are needed for a particular system, you can contact Questpair and specialists respond within the hour; parts can be sourced through Questpair as well. A warranty is often possible and is arranged in consultation for the individual listing, which is the right place to confirm condition and scope before committing to one of these systems.
Questpair review of ProteinSimple
Our take based on listings data and supplier feedback
ProteinSimple occupies a narrow but well defined corner of the life sciences instrument market: it builds machines that automate protein analysis steps a researcher would otherwise run by hand. That focus is what makes the catalogue coherent rather than scattered, and it is the frame worth keeping in mind when reading the listings.
The first benefit, automation of the western workflow, is the company's defining contribution. The Simple Western line, which includes Jess, Wes, Abby and the earlier Peggy Sue and Sally Sue, runs the separation, immunoprobing and detection of a western blot inside a capillary rather than across a slab gel. For a lab buyer, the practical consequence is that the technique moves from a two-day manual protocol to a loaded plate and a walk-away run. The instruments on Questpair that carry these names are doing exactly that work, and a buyer who knows the difference between a Wes and a Jess is usually buying for a specific throughput and multiplexing need rather than browsing.
The second benefit is the price position of the catalogue. All 68 ProteinSimple listings are used, and 100 percent of the listings are used. Prices run from EUR 296 to EUR 44.590. That spread is wide because the catalogue mixes small consumable or accessory listings at the low end with complete capillary instruments at the top, so the average of EUR 13.555 sits well inside the range rather than near either edge. A used instrument is listed below the price of a new one, which is the honest reason most of these machines reach a second lab. Where a warranty matters, it is arranged in consultation for the specific listing, so the condition and terms are a per-listing question rather than a brand-wide promise.
The third benefit, the breadth of platforms under one maker, is easy to underestimate. ProteinSimple does not build one instrument in several sizes; it builds separate analytical platforms. The iCE and Maurice lines handle capillary electrophoresis and charge heterogeneity analysis, work that matters in biologics characterisation. The Ella and Simple Plex systems automate immunoassays, turning a multiplex ELISA into a cartridge run. Milo pushes western blotting down to the single-cell level, and the Micro-Flow Imaging systems count and size subvisible particles in a formulation. A supplier search on Questpair that returns ProteinSimple instruments is therefore returning tools for quite different questions, and the category each listing sits in matters more than the brand name they share.
None of this makes the selection simple to navigate without knowing the technique you need. The strength of the brand is depth in protein analysis instrumentation; the corresponding demand on the buyer is to match the specific platform, iCE versus Maurice, Wes versus Jess, to the assay in front of them. The listings reward a buyer who arrives with that distinction already clear.
**Protein analysis without the manual blot**
ProteinSimple's Simple Western instruments automate the full western workflow in a capillary, replacing the gel, transfer and manual incubation steps of a traditional blot.
**A used-only catalogue priced well below new**
Every ProteinSimple listing on Questpair is used, with prices spanning EUR 296 to EUR 44.590 across 6 verified suppliers and distributors.
**One maker, several distinct analytical platforms**
The listings cover automated western blotting, capillary electrophoresis and automated immunoassay lines, so a single supplier search returns instruments for charge analysis, protein quantitation and multiplex ELISA.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find manuals and documentation for a ProteinSimple instrument?
Documentation for a specific model can be requested through Questpair, and specialists respond within one hour. Because the detail that matters sits at the listing level, say which model and software generation you are asking about so the right manual is matched.
How much does a ProteinSimple system cost?
Across the Questpair catalogue, prices run from EUR 296 to EUR 44.590, with an average of about EUR 13.555. The low end covers cartridge-level consumables while the high end covers complete automated systems, so the price depends heavily on which product family and configuration you are looking at.
What is the difference between refurbished and used ProteinSimple equipment?
Both used and refurbished units are listed below the price of new equipment, and that price difference is the clearest distinction on the catalogue. For the exact condition of any unit, read the individual listing, since each one describes what was checked or reconditioned.
Is a warranty available on a ProteinSimple instrument?
A warranty is often possible and is arranged in consultation for the specific listing rather than set across the whole catalogue. The terms depend on the unit and the supplier, so raise it when you discuss a particular item.
Are these systems suitable for clinical or research use?
ProteinSimple instruments automate protein assays and are built for molecular biology, immunology, biomanufacturing, and translational research settings. Whether a given unit fits a clinical or regulated workflow depends on the model, its software generation, and the assay it supports, which is why the listing-level detail matters.
How long does a ProteinSimple instrument last?
These are optics, fluidics, and capillary based instruments, and their working life depends on usage, maintenance history, and the availability of consumables for the assay chemistry. The condition and service history described in each listing is the practical guide to how much life a specific unit has left.
Can I get parts for a ProteinSimple system?
Parts can be sourced via Questpair. When requesting them, state the model and the cartridge chemistry or software generation the unit uses, since components differ across the Simple Western, Maurice, and Ella families.
What are the alternatives to ProteinSimple instruments?
Alternatives depend on the technique rather than the brand: automated western blotting, capillary electrophoresis, cartridge-based immunoassay, single-cell western, and particle imaging each have their own comparable systems. Decide which of these tasks you are matching first, then compare the listings on the Questpair catalogue for that category.
What is the lead time on a ProteinSimple instrument?
Lead time depends on the individual supplier and whether the unit is in stock, so it varies by listing. Questpair lists 6 verified suppliers and distributors across 4 countries, which gives more than one source to compare on timing for a given family.
What is the difference between parts and spares when ordering?
In practice both refer to components you source to keep an instrument running, from cartridges and consumables to fluidic and optical parts. All of these can be sourced via Questpair, and naming the exact model avoids matching a part to the wrong series.
Do suppliers ship ProteinSimple equipment internationally?
Listings come from verified suppliers and distributors across 4 countries, so cross-border supply is available depending on the seller. Confirm shipping arrangements against the individual listing, as they are set by the supplier rather than centrally.
Which ProteinSimple product lines are there and how do they differ?
The Simple Western family (Jess, Wes, Abby, Peggy Sue, Sally Sue, NanoPro 1000) runs automated western blotting in capillaries; iCE and Maurice cover capillary electrophoresis including cIEF and CE-SDS; Ella and Simple Plex automate cartridge-based immunoassay; Milo performs single-cell western blotting; and Micro-Flow Imaging handles subvisible particle analysis. They share the same aim of automating protein assays but serve different techniques, so the model matters more than the brand name.
Which ProteinSimple instrument types are listed here and in what condition?
The listings cover automated western blot systems, protein analysis instruments, molecular diagnostics equipment, capillary electrophoresis instruments and systems, and gel documentation systems. Across the catalogue 100 percent of the 68 listings are used, with the rest spanning other conditions, and each listing states its own condition.
What separates the cheapest ProteinSimple listings from the most expensive?
The spread from EUR 296 to EUR 44.590 reflects two ends of one brand: cartridge-level consumables and reagents at the low end, and complete automated systems at the high end. Within the instruments themselves, the model, software generation, detection modes, sample capacity, and condition account for the remaining difference.
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