A winning combination for nephrology research

Tecan’s Infinite^® 200 series microplate readers have proved to be a valuable asset for the Experimental Nephrology laboratory at the University Hospital of Münster, aiding the development of both cell-based and ex vivo fluorescence techniques for the investigation of cell membrane transport in the proximal tubules of the kidney. Svenja Holle, who recently won the 2011 Tecan Award for her work on this innovative optical method, explained: “Organic cation transporters (OCTs) in the basolateral membrane of proximal tubules play an important role in the nephrotoxic effects of many drugs, and so our group has been investigating how these transporters are regulated to develop potential strategies to prevent the harmful side effects of these drugs.”

“We initially developed a cell-based technique using an inverted microscope to follow uptake of the fluorescent marker ASP⁺, and were able to convert this to a high throughput microplate format using the flexibility of Tecan’s Infinite M200 reader. To further improve the biological relevance of results, we have now adapted this technique to a true ex vivo method using Infinite 200 series readers, allowing us to analyze the behavior of OCTs in proximal tubules isolated directly from the kidney. This offers a huge increase in throughput compared with inverted microscopy, as well as increasing the number of assays which can be performed with a given amount of starting material, significantly reducing the cost per assay.” 

Tecan and Reinnervate team up for automation of 3D cell culture

  

Tecan has signed a co-marketing agreement with Reinnervate, a leading company in the 3D cell culture market, to develop a range of automated solutions based on the Freedom EVO^® liquid handling workstations and Reinnervate’s Alvetex^®Scaffold 3D cell culturing technology.

Alvetex products are based on a highly porous, polystyrene scaffold structure with a uniform and well­-defined architecture, providing an excellent environment for cells to acquire and maintain their natural three-dimensional shape and organization during incubation that leads to more biologically relevant data. This technology overcomes the limitations of traditional monolayer cultures and, combined with the flexibility and reliability of the Freedom EVO platform, will provide a powerful solution for automated growth and maintenance of 3D cell cultures, allowing customers to develop more reliable and powerful cellular assays.

Kevin Moore, Head of Applications and Solutions at Tecan, said: “We are delighted to be working with Reinnervate and look forward to combining our mutual expertise and technical abilities to develop ground-breaking solutions for cell biology customers.”

Richard Rowling, Commercial Director at Reinnervate added: “We are delighted that Tecan has decided to put Alvetex Scaffold at the heart of its plans for the automation of 3D cell culture. Alvetex is becoming the industry standard for scientists who need to retain the native structure and functionality of cells, to better mimic in vivo biological models.”

Tecan collaborates with China to embrace a whole new dimension in blood safety

Tecan is working with the Chinese Society of Blood Transfusion in a bid to steadily improve both the capabilities and the quality of blood screening services, sharing its expertise and knowledge of quality control and quality assurance with the laboratories based at the Chinese blood centers and blood banks. At the 2011 Annual Conference of the Yunnan province blood centers and blood banks, Günter Weisshaar, Senior Vice President of Tecan and Head of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, raised the quality standard of the local blood screening facilities to new heights by introducing the concept of enterprise risk management and its impact on blood safety assurance.

The presentation triggered a tremendous discussion among the conference delegates. Many were motivated to request Tecan’s advice and assistance in implementing their own schemes to ensure that blood centers and blood banks are prepared for any unexpected disaster that could lead to a breakdown in their ability to process blood. Tonghan Yang, Director of the Kunming Blood Center, commented: “As our standard operating procedures and quality control systems mature, the focus of our attention to further improve blood safety is now shifting to risk management, and Tecan’s presentation was both timely and very helpful. Tecan’s helping hand to guide us through this journey will be greatly appreciated.”

Customers celebrate the launch of Tecan Australia

Tecan recently invited customers from around Australasia to mark the inauguration of Tecan Australia as a fully owned Tecan subsidiary, with a series of launch events in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. The creation of Tecan Australia reflects Tecan’s uniquely strong commitment to the Australasian market, and will provide customers in Australia, New Zealand and surrounding territories with an even better service, thanks to a new facility in Melbourne and local presence in several major cities. The launch events gave customers an opportunity to discuss their applications and automation issues with Tecan staff and their fellow scientists in a relaxed environment, and proved so successful that Tecan Australia will soon be establishing regular user group meetings to keep these valuable communication channels open.

The new Melbourne base houses a comprehensive sales and support organization – complete with a workshop and additional facilities for customer training and demonstrations – and provides additional warehouse facilities and stock levels to quickly support customers in need. Roland Durner, General Manager for Tecan Australia, said: “This is great news for our customers and employees alike. Our new facility, backed by strong operating procedures and with Tecan’s renowned emphasis on regulatory and quality requirements, will help us to improve every element of our business. Our existing team of highly trained sales and support staff will now be even better placed to provide a dedicated service to our customers in research, clinical diagnostics, forensics, and food and agriculture in the region.”