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Project duration: 1 October 2015 to 31 January 2019
There is a strong global trend towards cell-based test systems as an alternative to animal testing. Although the reaction of a living organism is usually the best indicator, many cell culture assays have been established in recent years that can provide reliable predictions of toxic or environmentally harmful influences.
"Cell-based test systems use the sensors and signalling pathways in cultured cells far removed from a functioning organism. By measuring the activities in cell culture cells, the development of diseases can be simulated and the effect of active pharmaceutical ingredients on the signalling pathways can be tested. In the analyses, the activities of the cell's own signalling pathways are usually made detectable in amplified form and used for ecotoxicological questions or, for example, for cancer research.
"Cell Based Test Systems" is a focus of the Molecular Biotechnology specialist area. Various aspects have already been investigated in a number of research and development projects: The Wnt signalling pathway, which is important for the development of cancer ("Catemer-Ugimers for therapeutic applications", FFG-BRIDGE, together with the company ugichem), the Heat Shock Response, which detects general cell stress and is involved in neurodegenerative diseases and cancer ("Post stress treatment of burn injuries", FWF), and the ARE pathway, which protects cells from reactive chemicals and at the same time enables good predictions to be made about the sensitising potential of chemicals in contact allergies ("Irritation and sensitisation - development of new in-vitro assessment systems for medical products", FFG-COIN). These projects focus on the quantitative analysis of signalling pathway activities using reporter genes.
As part of the project, Dr Thomas Czerny will head the "Cell Based Test Systems" working group established at the Molecular Biotechnology specialist area as an endowed professor. In addition to the acquisition and realisation of research projects, the focus is on the transfer of research results into teaching. It is particularly important to impart research expertise in the Master's programme in Molecular Biotechnology. Therefore, emphasis is placed on the area of "Drug Discovery", in which "Cell Based Test Systems" are an essential component - especially in drug screening and toxicological tests.
MA 23 Call for proposals no. 18 - "Endowed professorships and competence teams for teaching and research"
Cell Based Test Systems
Since 1 August 2020, five interdisciplinary research areas have replaced existing research fields.