Randall W. Nelson
Abbott (United States), Intrinsic LifeSciences (United States), Arizona State University
Papers
8
Total Citations
519
H-Index
7
About
Randall W. Nelson is a pioneering figure in clinical and analytical biochemistry, whose career has been defined by the development and refinement of immunoassay and mass spectrometric technologies for protein analysis. His early landmark contribution came with the 1988 introduction of the Abbott IMx analyzer, an automated benchtop system incorporating Microparticle Enzyme ImmunoAssay (MEIA) technology that transformed clinical immunochemistry testing — a work that has garnered over 150 citations and influenced laboratory medicine worldwide. Nelson's most distinctive achievement, however, is the invention and advancement of Mass Spectrometric Immunoassay (MSIA), a powerful hybrid methodology combining antibody-based protein capture with the precision of mass spectrometry. His work applied MSIA to clinically critical analytes including β-2 microglobulin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), and hemoglobin variants in neonates, demonstrating both the scientific depth and real-world diagnostic utility of the approach. His high-throughput MSIA platforms, capable of processing over 1,000 samples per day, directly addressed barriers to clinical adoption. Nelson also extended MSIA into emerging areas such as resistin profiling and phosphoprotein analysis, consistently pushing the boundaries of what protein biomarker measurement can achieve with speed, specificity, and scale.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1The Abbott IMx automated benchtop immunochemistry analyzer system.158 citations · 1988
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- 3Quantitative Mass Spectrometric Immunoassay of Insulin Like Growth Factor 177 citations · 2004
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