Is UPLC the Next Game-Changer in Biological/Chemical Research?

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The discussion centers on the future of Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) and its potential impact on biological and chemical research. UPLC operates at higher pressures and uses smaller particle sizes in columns, allowing for superior separations and reduced run times compared to traditional High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). While some view UPLC as a significant advancement that could become essential in research, others argue it is merely an incremental improvement over HPLC, lacking the potential to revolutionize the field. The conversation also touches on the current trend towards high-throughput automation in protein purification, suggesting that efficiency improvements can be as impactful as entirely new technologies. Overall, while UPLC may enhance research capabilities, its role as a game-changer remains debated.
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What is the future for UPLC? Is it the next big thing for biological/chemical research? Has anyone ever used one? How widely will this new instrument be needed in the foreseeable future?
 
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Isn't UPLC just a fancy name for HPLC?
 
Borek said:
Isn't UPLC just a fancy name for HPLC?

Pressures are much higher and particle sizes in the columns are smaller. You can get unparalleled separations and shorter run times with UPLC vs. traditional HPLC. Supposedly it is going to be an invaluable tool in the future for a ton of biological/biochemical research. I want to know from someone that's actually used one before what they are like, the pros vs cons, and the current limitations that they have.
 
I hadn't even heard of it before. Seems UPLC is a brand name - did you just come from a marketing presentation or something?

I agree with Borek, it's just an incremental improvement on HPLC (which has naturally been improving incrementally for years regardless). I wouldn't call it a new tool or method, and I doubt it's a game-changer at all. It's a more efficient method, but not fundamentally different from HPLC. I'm sure the PR folks from Water Corp are of a different opinion, but I see it as an incremental improvement in technology which will give an incremental improvement in research, but it's not likely to open up any new fields or such.

AFAIK, the big current tech trend when it comes to e.g. protein purification are the highly automated so-called "high-throughput" methods.
 
Meh, that's like saying there isn't a big difference between regular column chromatography and flash chromatography. Fundamentally are they the same thing? Yeah pretty much, but economically they are vastly different and flash chromatography has widely replaced column chromatography as the preferred method of purification many times in industry. Improving on efficiency can be just as big of a breakthrough as a completely new method or instrument.
 

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