Blog

With a career that spans genetics, microbiology, antibodies, stem cells, and growth factors and a PhD earned alongside a full-time job, Andy’s journey is a testament to curiosity, adaptability, and quietly driving your own path. We caught up with Andy to talk about his career, the lessons that stuck, and why being brave enough to ask (even if the answer might be no) can make all the difference. 

In our first newsletter of 2026 we share exciting news for our cell therapy grade and new application notes, technotes and products.

Commercial media preparations can be a convenient option for stem cell and organoid maintenance and differentiation, but the proprietary 'black box' formulation prohibits trouble-shooting and optimization read our blog, as we ask, what's in it?

Scientists have long struggled to access a reliable, animal-free, and high-quality version of IL-34. When we first started working on IL-34 at Qkine, we weren’t just trying to make another recombinant protein. We wanted to solve a real problem.

‍Qkine and Interlab based in Taipei, Taiwan, partner to distribute Qkine high purity growth factors and cytokines, empowering research in Taiwan.

In this recently revised and expanded paper from our collaborators in the Bertero lab, Truszkowski et al. have described a cost-effective homemade media recipe for the culture of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), this adds to the evidence that homemade media using Qkine growth factors can be a suitable replacement for, or improvement on, commercially available media.

Laura’s role at Qkine may say Office Manager and QMS Assistant, but if you know her, you’ll know she’s so much more than that. She’s the kind of person who thrives on variety, always lends a helping hand, and keeps the engine room of Qkine running with precision, care, and an impressive number of color-coded email flags.

Why are the products labelled cell therapy grade and not GMP grade? Although GMP-grade is a recognized term within the growth factor space, it is not an accreditation that can be strictly applied to products outside of the pharmaceutical, cosmetic or food industries. 

Qkine cell therapy grade proteins are animal origin-free, but why is this so important? The FDA are clear in their recommendation that animal origin-free reagents are used for increased safety in cell and gene therapy manufacture.

Meet Adriana, Senior Lab Technician at Qkine, where precision meets passion. From protein purification to keeping the lab spotless, Adriana does it all. In this Q&A, she shares what life is really like in biotech, from late-night snack temptations to big career challenges, and leaves us with advice for the next generation of scientists.

All Qkine proteins are animal origin-free, but why is this so important? Why aren’t all recombinant proteins produced in animal free expression systems? Read our latest blog and discover - Why animal origin-free?

At Qkine we have repeatedly highlighted the need for stricter process and quality control in the manufacture of high purity in recombinant growth factors to prevent cross contamination with related growth factors. Contamination with other bioactive proteins leads to lack of inter and intra-lab reproducibility, or perhaps most concerningly incorrect scientific conclusions.