Morgantown, WV -- (ReleaseWire) -- 03/06/2015 -- The winter frost isn't the only thing affecting our nation's crops, according to the Purdue University Weed Science team. The team is working hard to educate food growers on a major culprit: herbicide-resistant weeds to be exact. Food growers across the country are finding it increasingly difficult to kill "super weeds" as they become resistant to the most popular herbicides. After years of constant exposure to these herbicides, certain invasive plants have also developed a resistance, leading farmers to use more of the chemical. In some cases, the weeds have grown completely tolerant to these chemicals, allowing them to grow as high as eight feet tall.

According to Bryan Young, PhD., Associate Professor of Weed Science in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. "Understanding the molecular interactions between plants and herbicides or combinations thereof is essential to developing strategies to combat invasive and emerging herbicide-resistant weed biotypes."

Enter A Hi-Tech Molecular Approach – LAESI®
In an effort to minimize the herbicide exposures to crops, the weed science team at Purdue University has implemented a new technology in their labs. The University recently acquired Protea's LAESI DP-1000 Direct Ionization System for direct molecular analysis that will be used in Purdue's College of Agriculture, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology. The device is used for the molecular imaging of herbicide-active ingredients and other related compounds to optimize herbicide applications and improve weed management.

Protea's LAESI system is a next generation molecular imaging platform that directly analyzes biological samples without the need to apply chemicals or introduce tags or tracers. It enables two-dimensional and three-dimensional imaging, displaying the distribution of molecules in the samples.

"The continued investigation of how herbicides function within the plant's morphological architecture and physiological pathways is paramount for improving the efficiency of herbicide activity and elucidating possible mechanisms that are the basis for the herbicide-resistant weeds impacting crop production, and Protea's DP-1000 system will enable us to map and monitor specific compounds both on and within the plants of interest," stated Dr. Young.

"The discovery of novel herbicides can have a positive effect on crop production and, ultimately, on the ability to more economically deliver food and livestock globally. In particular, LAESI's unique ability to provide three-dimensional molecular analytics of plant tissues can be incredibly useful for mapping herbicides and other molecules within the leaf, to actually see the molecular changes that are occurring within plants," stated Steve Turner, Protea's CEO.

Purdue University isn't the only research institution utilizing the new LAESI technology; Princeton University's Frick Chemistry Laboratory recently introduced LAESI into their labs for the screening of microbial samples to identify new molecular entities that may hold promise as new antimicrobial therapeutics.

For more information, log on to http://www.proteabio.com

About Protea Biosciences Group, Inc.
Protea Biosciences is a molecular information company providing innovative bioanalytical solutions to the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and life science industries. Protea has developed a new, fully automated, molecular information technology platform, known as "LAESI" (Laser Ablation Electrospray Ionization), that enables the direct analysis of molecules without the need for sample preparation. Large molecular datasets are generated on native biological samples that can also be visually displayed as 2D and 3D images. Protea maintains its own laboratory facilities where services are provided to its clients, using LAESI and complementary technologies and expertise.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Morgantown, WV -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/21/2015 -- Protea Biosciences Group, Inc. announced today that Purdue University has acquired Protea's LAESI® DP-1000 Instrument System for direct molecular analysis. The system will be used in Purdue's College of Agriculture, the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, for the molecular imaging of herbicide active ingredients and other related compounds to optimize herbicide applications and improve weed management.

Protea's LAESI system is a next generation molecular imaging platform that directly analyzes biological samples without the need to apply chemicals or introduce tags or tracers and enables 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional imaging, displaying the distribution of molecules in the samples.

"The continued investigation of how herbicides function within the plant's morphological architecture and physiological pathways is paramount for improving the efficiency of herbicide activity and elucidating possible mechanisms that are the basis for the herbicide-resistant weeds impacting crop production, and Protea's DP-1000 system will enable us to map and monitor specific compounds both on and within the plants of interest," stated Bryan Young, PhD., Associate Professor of Weed Science in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology at Purdue University. He continued, "Understanding the molecular interactions between plants and herbicides or combinations thereof is essential to developing strategies to combat invasive and emerging herbicide-resistant weed biotypes."

"Collaborating with Purdue and applying our LAESI technology to the field of herbicide research is an important commercial sector for us," stated Steve Turner, Protea's CEO. "The discovery of novel herbicides can have a positive effect on crop production and ultimately the ability to more economically deliver food and livestock globally. In particular LAESI's unique ability to provide three dimensional molecular analytics of plant tissues can be incredibly useful for mapping herbicides and other molecules within the leaf, to actually see the molecular changes that are occurring within plants."

About Protea Biosciences Group, Inc.
Protea Biosciences is a molecular information company providing innovative bioanalytical solutions to the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and life science industries. Protea has developed a new, fully automated, molecular information technology platform, known as "LAESI" (Laser Ablation Electrospray Ionization), that enables the direct analysis of molecules without the need for sample preparation. Large molecular datasets are generated on native biological samples that can also be visually displayed as 2D and 3D images. Protea maintains its own laboratory facilities where services are provided to its clients, using LAESI and complementary technologies and expertise. For more information, log on to http://www.proteabio.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain statements relating to future results or events, which are forward-looking statements. Words such as "expects", "intends," "plans," "may," "could," "should," "anticipates," "likely," "believes" and words of similar import may identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the Company's belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. It is possible that the Company's actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. Further, information concerning the Company and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect the Company's business and financial and other results, are contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, available at http://www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur or of which we hereafter become aware.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Morgantown, WV -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/09/2014 -- Protea Biosciences Group, Inc.,and InSphero AG jointly announced an update from their collaboration focused on mass spectrometry imaging of InSphero's 3D InSight™ microtissues. In August 2014, Protea received microtissues from InSphero and hosted members of InSphero's scientific team for onsite training on the handling and preparation of the microtissues. Protea has since developed workflows for processing the 3D microtissues for mass spectrometry imaging and direct analysis. In addition, Protea has generated data from 3D microtissues grown from the HCT-116 colon cancer cell line that showed the ability for mass spectrometry imaging to detect and image numerous native proteins in 3D microtissues in a single experiment, as well as putatively identify several proteins known to be present at elevated levels in colon cancer cells. Erin Seeley, PhD, Protea's Senior Scientist for Mass Spectrometry Imaging, will present the first data from Protea and InSphero's collaboration at

InSphero's upcoming User Group Meetings being held in San Francisco, California on Friday, October 24th, 2014 and in Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday, November 20th, 2014. Information about the User Group Meetings can be found in the links below:

San Francisco User Group Meeting:
http://www.insphero.com/component/content/article?id=404

Boston User Group Meeting:
http://www.insphero.com/component/content/article?id=405

"We are pleased with the initial results from our collaboration with InSphero and look forward to presenting the data at their upcoming User Group Meetings", stated Protea's CEO Stephen Turner. He added, "Now that our scientists are trained on the handling of InSphero's microtissues and workflows have been developed, we look forward to developing new applications through the combination of our respective technologies and moving forward towards commercial offerings for our pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers."

"The swift completion of the initial technology transfer puts Protea's skilled team into a great position to generate novel and highly relevant mass spectrometry imaging data from a variety of 3D microtissue types", said InSphero's CEO Jan Lichtenberg. "Getting a better insight into the internal structure of microtissues is a key interest of our customers in the life-science industry. Protea's impressive progress will be exciting news to the 3D cell-culture community at our upcoming user-group meetings."

For more information about InSphero, visit http://www.insphero.com
For more information about Protea, visit http://www.proteabio.com

About InSphero
InSphero is a leading supplier of organotypic, biological in vitro 3D microtissues for highly predictive drug testing. The company, headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, with subsidiaries in the USA and in Germany, currently counts all of the top ten global pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies as customers. InSphero 3D Insight™ Microtissues enable more biologically relevant in vitro applications in efficacy and toxicology. The spin-off company of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich and the University Zurich has been recognized for its scientific and commercial achievements with a number of national and international awards, including being named the #1 Swiss Startup for 2014. InSphero is certified to the ISO 9001:2008 standard for its Quality Management System.

About Protea Biosciences Group, Inc.
Protea is a molecular information company providing innovative bioanalytical solutions to the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and life science industries. Protea has developed a new, fully automated, molecular information technology platform, known as "LAESI" (Laser Ablation Electrospray Ionization), that enables the direct analysis of molecules without the need for sample preparation. Large molecular datasets are generated on native biological samples that can also be visually displayed as 2D and 3D images. Protea maintains its own laboratory facilities where services are provided to its clients, using LAESI and complementary technologies and expertise.

Protea and LAESI are registered trademarks of Protea Biosciences Group, Inc.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain statements relating to future results. These statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the company's belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the company's control. It is possible that the company's actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements. Further, information concerning the company and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect the company's financial results, are contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to publicly update or correct any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that subsequently occur or of which we hereafter become aware.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Protea to Apply Direct 3D Molecular Imaging Platform to InSphero's 3D InSight™ Microtissues

Morgantown, WV -- (SBWIRE) -- 07/21/2014 -- Protea Biosciences Group, Inc. and InSphero AG jointly announced that they have entered into a collaboration that will combine each company's respective 3D technology. InSphero AG is the leading supplier of 3D organotypic microtissues for in vitro toxicology and efficacy studies, with models derived from liver, pancreas, tumor, and brain tissue that yield a high level of predictability during drug development compared to traditional 2-dimensional cell culture and other in vitro model systems.

The collaboration will use Protea's proprietary LAESI® direct molecular imaging platform to analyze InSphero's proprietary 3D InSight™ microtissues, creating 3D molecular profiles for tissue characterization, drug metabolism and distribution, pharmacokinetic and toxicity applications. From this collaboration, Protea and InSphero expect to create new products and services that may be marketed to pharmaceutical and biotechnology researchers worldwide.

"The understanding of disease and the development of new pharmaceuticals continues to be an enormous challenge, one that requires new technologies," stated Protea's CEO Stephen Turner. He added, "We believe that InSphero's 3D microtissues deliver a new level of insight and predictability to the drug development process. We are honored to be working with InSphero's team of scientists and to have the opportunity to apply our LAESI direct molecular imaging technology to the analysis of their 3D microtissues."

InSphero CEO and co-founder Dr. Jan Lichtenberg believes the partnering of the two 3D technologies is a natural fit. "The LAESI technology increases the power of mass spectrometry, and is uniquely suited to meet the needs of researchers using our 3D microtissues. The ability to reconstruct the molecular profile of a tissue in three dimensions, including endogenous proteins, drugs, and compound metabolites, will facilitate a deeper characterization of 3D cell models, and open doors to novel applications that can further enhance their utility in drug discovery and development."

About Protea Biosciences Group, Inc.
Protea Biosciences Group, Inc. is a commercial stage molecular information company, focused on meeting the needs of pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agriculture, chemical and other industries with innovative bioanalytical technologies. Protea's proprietary technology, LAESI® (Laser Ablation Electrospray Ionization), is used with mass spectrometry to identify large numbers of distinct molecules from a single analysis of tissues, cells, fluids, agricultural specimens and other sample types. Using proprietary software (ProteaPlot™), the location of each distinct molecule in a respective sample can be displayed, enabling direct molecular imaging. The LAESI DP-1000, an integrated system that combines LAESI and ProteaPlot, is marketed to a wide array of researchers for numerous applications. Protea maintains its own laboratory facility where it performs services using LAESI and complementary technologies for a wide array of customers to support preclinical pharmaceutical R&D, biomarker discovery and other applications. Protea also collaborates with researchers to apply its technologies and expertise to generate new discoveries and intellectual property. For more information, log on to http://www.proteabio.com.

About InSphero AG
InSphero is a leading supplier of organotypic, biological in vitro 3D microtissues for highly predictive drug testing. The company, headquartered near Zurich, Switzerland, with subsidiaries in the USA and in Germany, currently counts all of the top ten global pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies as customers. InSphero 3D Insight™ Microtissues enable more biologically relevant in vitro applications in efficacy and toxicology. Based on InSphero's patented and award-winning production technology, the company offers a wide range of assay-ready 3D microtissues including hepatic, cardiac, pancreatic, neuronal and dermal models. For outsourced compound testing, InSphero offers flexible 3D InSight™ Testing Services run by a team of experienced 3D cell-culture scientists. InSphero is certified to the ISO 9001:2008 standard for its Quality Management System.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain certain statements relating to future results. These statements are not historical facts, but instead represent only the company's belief regarding future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the company's control. It is possible that the company's actual results and financial condition may differ, possibly materially, from the anticipated results and financial condition indicated in these forward-looking statements.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Morgantown, WV -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/06/2014 -- The onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease processes occurs at the molecular level within brain cells. New revolutionary technology is now available to "mine" Alzheimer's brain cells and see large numbers of molecules at a time, an important new step in possibly unlocking new insight into treatment for the disease. A new research collaboration with the University of Southampton, a leading biomedical and clinical research institution located in the United Kingdom along with Morgantown, VA-based Protea's proprietary direct molecular imaging technology, LAESI, will study the molecular mechanisms of the aged brain, in order to identify markers that may indicate risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Roxana Carare M.D., Ph.D., leading the Carare Research Group at the University of Southampton, U.K., Matthew Powell Ph.D. and Greg Kilby Ph.D. of Protea Biosciences, will serve as the Principal Investigators for this collaboration that will gather molecular information, the identification and characterization of the "molecular production" of cells – the proteins, metabolites, lipids and other molecules, which are being continuously produced by all living cells and life forms, in order to sustain life. Individual cells continuously produce many thousands of different molecules, and changes in the molecular production of cells can indicate and be the basis of wellness and disease.

LAESI's ability to identify larger numbers of molecules in a single analysis begins to get at the "heart" of cellular molecular information, providing improved insight into complex disease processes, thereby supporting the development of new personalized treatments, and disease detection and management tools.

Roxana Carare, M.D., Ph.D., who leads the cerebrovascular ageing research group at the University of Southampton, commented, "We are delighted that the novel molecular techniques from Protea Biosciences will be applied to brain tissue. We anticipate that novel biomarkers for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease or markers that identify the risk factors for developing Alzheimer's disease will be discovered and make significant progress in the field of biomedical research."

Protea's LAESI technology enables rapid generation of very large molecular datasets, known as 'big data". It is not unusual for LAESI to identify over 1,000 individual molecules in a single scan. The data is available almost immediately, and can be displayed in 2D and 3D imaging. Larger databases aid the "molecular eyesight" of a researcher, improving their prospects to discover new biomarkers or molecular data that will provide new opportunities for developing new treatments.

LAESI analyzes cell and tissue samples directly without the need for sample preparation. As a result, separation techniques and protocols are not required to generate molecular information. Instead, virtually all sample types can be inserted directly into the instrument. Molecular information is acquired on samples in their native state, therefore unbiased data is generated.

Steve Turner, Protea's Chief Executive Officer stated, "It has been a strategic goal of Protea to apply our direct molecular imaging technology and expertise to the field of neurodegenerative disease, and we are pleased to be doing so with the University of Southampton. We believe that the capabilities of our technology to directly identify and image hundreds of molecules produced by cells from a single analysis has the potential to identify new biomarkers and therapeutic points of intervention for use in the development of new Alzheimer's treatments and patient management tools."

For more information, log on to http://www.proteabio.com

About Protea Biosciences Group, Inc.
Protea Biosciences is a commercial stage molecular information company, focused on meeting the needs of the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agriculture, chemical and other industries with innovative technologies, software and services. Protea's proprietary technology, LAESI® (Laser Ablation Electrospray Ionization), is used with mass spectrometry to detect the presence of up to, and over, one thousand distinct molecules from a single analysis of samples that can include tissues, cells, fluids, agricultural specimens and other sample types. Using proprietary software (ProteaPlotTM), the location of each distinct molecule in a respective sample can be displayed, enabling direct molecular imaging. The LAESI DP-1000, an integrated system that combines LAESI and ProteaPlot, is marketed to a wide array of researchers for numerous applications. Protea maintains its own laboratory facility where it performs services using LAESI and complementary technologies for a wide array of customers to support preclinical pharmaceutical R&D, biomarker discovery and other applications. Protea also collaborates with researchers to apply its technologies and expertise to generate new discoveries and intellectual property.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm