Applying Design of Experiments Methodology to PEI Toxicity Assay on Neural Progenitor Cells

Abstract

Design of Experiments (DoE) statistical methodology permits the simultaneous evaluation of the effects of different factors on experimental performance and the analysis of their interactions in order to identify their optimal combinations. Compared to classical approaches based on changing only one factor at a time (OFAT), DoE facilitates the exploration of a broader range of parameters combinations, as well as providing the possibility to select a limited number of combinations covering the whole frame. The advantage of DoE is to maximise the amount of information provided and to save both time and money. DoE has been primarily used in industry to maximise process robustness, but recently it has also been applied in biomedical research to different types of multivariable analyses, from determination of the best cell media composition to the optimisation of entire multi-step laboratory protocols such as cell transfection.