Cytokine Reference Laboratory
The Cytokine Reference Laboratory is a CLIA-88 licensed facility specializing in the analysis of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors from a variety of biological sources.
The director of the laboratory is Dr. Angela Panoskaltsis-Mortari, professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and the Division of Pulmonary Medicine. Dr. Mortari is board-certified by the American Board of Medical Laboratory Immunology.
The Cytokine Reference Laboratory has over 25 years of experience participating as a testing laboratory for a variety of clinical trials.
The Cytokine Reference Laboratory has over 25 years of experience participating as a testing laboratory for a variety of clinical trials, and is highly experienced with immunoassays using ELISA (both conventional and multiplex), microfluidic (Ella platform) and fluorescence bead-based antibody systems (Luminex platform) that allow multiple assays to be performed on a very small amount of material. These types of assays are especially important in testing involving pediatric populations, where sample sizes can often be very limiting.
Cytokine Reference Laboratory Equipment:
- BioRad 550 ELISA plate reader with integrated software (Microplate Manager) on a dedicated computer
- Epoch Microplate Spectrophotometer with Gen5 3.10 software
- Luminex 200 system with sheath fluid delivery system with BioPlex Manager 6.0 software on a dedicated computer
- MAGPIX powered by Luminex XMAP Technology with xPonent software on a dedicated computer
- Two Ella (Protein Simple) microfluidic, automated multiplex immunoassay machines on dedicated computers
- Refrigerator (4°C) and freezer (-80°C) both with temperature recording charts
- Centrifuges
- Single and multichannel pipettes
- Incubator (for ELISAs requiring higher than room temperature incubations)
- Two BioTek Elx50 automated plate washers
- Synergy/LX (BioTek) multi-mode reader for fluorescence and chemiluminescence immunoassays
- Nuaire Class II, Type A2 Biological Safety Cabinet

Mike Ehrhardt
Scientist
612-626-7057
ehrha003@umn.edu
Lab Address:
Cytokine Reference Laboratory
516 Delaware St. SE.
13-127 Phillips-Wangensteen Building (map)
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Campus Mail:
Pediatrics BMT
MMC 391 Mayo
8366A (Campus Delivery Code)
420 Delaware St. SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55455