Inadequate antibody validation leads to wasted biological samples in biomedical research

Poor validation of antibodies by biomedical researchers contributes to substantial and avoidable loss of animal and human tissue samples, PLOS Biology reported on 6 October 2026. Researchers frequently select antibodies based on past usage or peer recommendations rather than systematic performance testing. [1]

The study was conducted by Michael Biddle, Jemma Cooper, Katherine Blades, Dominic Ruddy, Eva M. Krockow, and Harvinder Virk. They analyzed how unvalidated antibodies misdirect biomedical research and consume limited biological materials without producing reliable data. [1]

Antibodies are widely used in molecular biology techniques such as Western blotting, which detects, distinguishes, and quantifies specific proteins in complex tissue extracts. When antibodies fail to bind to their intended targets, the resulting data is invalid and the underlying tissue samples are wasted. [1][2]

To address these ethical and practical consequences, the authors proposed targeted interventions to improve verification standards and scientific reliability in future research. [1]