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A Short Introduction to Tocris Bioscience
This video gives an overview of Tocris products and services, including how our agonist and antagonists are being used in vitro and in vivo. It also highlights our new and expanding fluorescent probes and dyes ranges.
Tocris is Globally Trusted Brand
Tocris is Globally Trusted Brand
For over 30 years, Tocris has been enabling researchers by making the latest research tool commercially available. Our team of PhD qualified scientists work closely with research institutes and pharmaceutical companies across the globe, to ensure we are frequently first to market with the latest technologies and reagents.
90% of our product reviews are 4 or 5 stars*, and are cited in over 30,000 publications, including in high impact journals such as Nature, PNAS, and Cell Press. See some of our customer reviews below.
Customer Success Stories
Dr Patrick Moynihan
HADA (Cat. No. 6647) Great for labelling bacterial cell walls.
We use this product to label the peptidoglycan of growing mycobacterial species. We generally follow published protocols for this, of which there are several. This will label regions of active peptidoglycan synthesis in the cell.
Five Stars
Dr. One Pagan
Behavioral evaluation of antagonistic effects of parthenolide on cocaine effects in planarians
I have used Tocris’ Parthenolide (Cat. No. 0610) for a few years in my research program searching for behavioral antagonists of cocaine. This research has resulted in 5 peer-reviewed papers and the discovery story is included in a chapter of my book The First Brain: The Neuroscience of Planarians and in a review paper (shown in the figure). There are at least 4 more papers in preparation and the project is still going strong. In the initial phases of my project, I evaluated several suppliers of parthenolide and Tocris’ offering consistently came ahead in terms of customer service and compound purity, and I do not intend to change suppliers. I recommend this product and the company without reservation.
Five Stars
Dr. Karthik Krishnamurthy
Fluo-4AM (Cat. No. 6255) Works well in motor neurons.
Used for imaging calcium entry in motor neurons at 1 mM concentration
Motor neurons loaded with 1 mM concentration of fluo4-am loaded at 37 degrees for 15 minutes in aCSF. After 15 minutes cells were gently washed with aCSF twice and left in dark for 10 minutes for complete de-esterification of the dye.
Five Stars
Keep Up to Date with Tocris
Keep Up to Date with Tocris
Tocris sells over 4500 compounds, targeting more than 400 targets, but we are constantly adding to our ranges, so you can be sure to find the most effective tools and technology for your research area.
The Tocris Promise
The Tocris Promise
Outstanding quality
Our highly experienced chemistry and QC teams ensure that our products are manufactured to the highest standards, with purity typically ≥ 98% by HPLC. Additionally, Tocris carry out extensive QC analysis not undertaken by other commercial providers.
Consistent and reliable resupply
Over 99.5% of products are consistently in stock, and we deliver within 1-3 business days of receiving an order.
Continuous pipeline of innovative products
Innovation is the cornerstone Tocris’ mission to advance life science research.
Tocris has a dedicated innovation team of PhD qualified product managers who are continuously identifying and designing compounds and technology. They introduce approximately 400 new products a year, many of which are exclusive to Tocris.
PROTAC® is a registered trademark of Arvinas Operations, Inc., and is used under license.
Background Information
Enabling Scientists for over 30 years
Tocris Bioscience is the trading name of Tocris Cookson Ltd., which was acquired by R&D Systems, headquartered in Minneapolis USA, in 2011. In 2014 the Techne Corporation (R&D Systems’ trading name) started operating under the new name Bio-Techne, with all its major brands sitting under one umbrella. Tocris sits alongside it’s sister brands R&D systems and Novus in the reagents solutions division. Together these sister brands aim to provide complete workflow solutions.
Based in Bristol, with approximately 70 employees, Tocris now manufacture, source and make commercially available over 4500 products. A far stretch from it’s humble beings as a spin off from Bristol university.
Key Dates
| 1982 | Tocris Neuramin founded by Professor Jeff Watkins |
|---|---|
| 1985 | Cookson Chemicals founded by Professor Richard Cookson |
| 1994 | Merger of the two creates Tocris Cookson |
| 1995 | US subsidiary Tocris Cookson Inc., opens |
| 2002 | Tocris receives Queen's Award for Enterprise |
| 2005 | Tocris Bioscience brand launched |
| 2006 | Founders retire – MBO |
| 2008 | Target Detective Launched |
| 2011 | Tocris Bioscience Joins R&D Systems |
| 2014 | Techne Corporation operates under new name, Bio-Techne |
| 2016 | Tocris Bioscience move into the Watkins Building |
In 1982, Professor Jeff Watkins of the Pharmacology Department at the University of Bristol, UK, founded Tocris Neuramin. Professor Watkins’ research centred around glutamate receptor signaling and synaptic transmission1. Tocris was established in response to the number of fellow researchers asking for glutamate compounds, which Watkins and his team synthesized in the labs at Bristol University.
In 1985, Richard Cookson, Professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Southampton, UK set up a similar company Cookson Chemicals. In addition to neurochemicals, Cookson Chemicals also provided a custom synthesis services.
In July 1994, Tocris Neuramin Ltd of Bristol, UK and Cookson Chemicals Ltd of Southampton, UK merged to become Tocris Cookson Ltd. Together they provided a catalogue and custom service to pharmaceutical and academic industries.
Tocris Cookson went on to receive several prestigious awards for their work in the sector. In 2002 Tocris Cookson was awarded The Queen's Awards for Enterprise in the International Trade category, and in 2006 was nominated in five categories of the prestigious Life Science Industry Awards.
In October 2005, Tocris Cookson changed its name to Tocris Bioscience, to reflect the increasing application of it’s products in biology-related fields.
In January 2007, Tocris Bioscience underwent a successful $40 million management buy-out (MBO) deal, giving the company more freedom to pursue its business ambitions, proving more services and an expanded product ranges.
In May 2011, Tocris Bioscience was acquired by R&D Systems (Trading name, Techne Corporation); a company that manufactured and supplied biotechnology-based tools for biology-related research including antibodies, proteins, ELISA assays and kits.
In January 2014, Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH) started to operate under a new trade name, Bio-Techne. Going forward, the Bio-Techne name will be used to unify the company's portfolio to deliver best-in-class brands under a new website.
In January 2016, Tocris Bioscience announced it’s relocation to a brand new state of the art facility at the Avonbridge Trading Estate, Bristol, UK. The new building was named Watkins after Jeff Watkins, who founded Tocris Neuramin in 1982.
[1] Watkins JC, Jane DE (2006). "The Glutamate Story". British Journal of Pharmacology 147: S100-S108. PMID 16402093.
