Biomolecular Measurement Division

BMD supports US biopharmaceutical industry through biomanufacturing initiative.

The NIST presence at IBBR is BMD's Biomolecular Structure and Function Group.

30+ NRC Postdoctoral Research Opportunities are located in BMD.

Welcome to the Biomolecular Measurement Division

In partnership with U.S. industry, government agencies, and scientific institutions, the Biomolecular Measurement Division performs fundamental and applied research on the measurement of macromolecules such as proteins and nucleic acids, as well as peptides, glycans, metabolites, lipids, and natural products. The Division provides measurement science, reference materials, reference data, and technologies to foster innovation and confidence in measurements needed to advance biotechnology, DNA forensics, biomedical and bioscience research, and health care.

News and Updates

A red cylinder made of lipids has five protruding multicolored proteins.

NIST Clarifies Structure of Prospective Vaccine for Respiratory Virus

December 16, 2020

No approved vaccine exists for RSV, a life-threatening virus that attacks the respiratory system. State-of-the-art neutron and X-ray scattering performed at the

A medical worker administers a nasal swab test to a person in a car.

NIST Innovation Could Improve Detection of COVID-19 Infections

October 5, 2020

A multidisciplinary research team at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a way to increase the sensitivity of the primary

woman stands at mass spectrometer machine

NIST Expands Database That Helps Identify Unknown Compounds in Milk

July 27, 2020

Got milk? Most people have seen the famous ads featuring celebrities that highlight the importance of drinking milk for building strong bones. Research shows

Woman uses gas analysis mass spectrometer at NBS for chemical analysis of gas or vapor mixtures

NIST Adds New 'Fingerprints' to Chemical Identification Database

June 17, 2020

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has updated its database of chemical fingerprints, called mass spectra, that are used to identify

Industry Impacts

Benchmarks for Biologic Drugs

Protein-based biologic drugs, which are increasingly used to treat cancers, autoimmune disorders and infectious diseases, are hard to produce, store and deliver

Projects and Programs

Development of Reference Methods and Reference Materials for Proteins

A number of proteins show promise as potential markers of health or disease, and commercial assays are being developed for these proteins. For example

Optical/electrical particle measurement system

The sizing and counting of subvisible particles in the size range 2 μm to 100 μm is an essential component of product quality assurance in therapeutic protein

Certification of Standard Reference Material 2393 for the CAG repeats of Huntington Disease

Huntington disease is a neurodegenerative disease of midlife onset that produces choreic movements and cognitive decline, often accompanied by psychiatric

Development of Rapid Multiplex PCR Techniques

Forensic DNA typing is currently conducted in approximately eight to ten hours. The process includes DNA extraction, quantitation, multiplex PCR amplification