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INDIVUMED's Research Laboratories are experienced in biochemical, immunological and molecular biological methods used in cancer research. INDIVUMED is delighted to offer customers its scientific experience together with a unique infrastructure. INDIVUMED has archived material regarded as the "Gold-Standard" with respect to quality and amount of clinical data. In addition, INDIVUMED has direct access everyday to fresh tissue samples from virtually all tumor entities for special cell preparations (e.g. primary tumor cells, fibroblasts and other normal cells).

The capability to apply all modern analytical approaches to biospecimen and cell preparations that are linked with comprehensive clinical data (including longitudinal follow-up) makes INDIVUMED a unique research company.

INDIVUMED's Research Service includes:

1. Special biospecimen preparations from archived tissue

  • Microscopic slides (FFPE and Frozen)
  • Isolation of cell subpopulation (LCM-technique)
  • Custom-guided Tissue-Microarray
  • Protein lysates
  • RNA-preparation
  • DNA-preparation

2. Special biospecimen preparations from vital tissue

  • preparation of primary cell cultures
  • isolation of viable cell subpopulations (FACS, magnetic beads)
  • preparation of compartment specific molecules, e.g.,
    1. membrane anchored proteins
    2. cytoplasmatic proteins
    3. nuclear protein

3. Expression analysis of biospecimen preparations

  • Analysis of gene expression, e.g.,
    1. cDNA microarray
    2. real-time RT-PCR
    3. in-situ hybridization
  • Analysis of protein expression, e.g.,
    1. Mass-spectroscopy (SELDI-TOF-MS)
    2. Standard biochemical techniques (e.g. WesternBlot)
    3. Antibody-based assays such as
      1. Immunostaining of tissue slides
      2. FACS
      3. ELISA

4. Imaging techniques

  • confocal microscopy
  • laser-scanning microscopy

5. Functional assays, in particular by using primary cells

  • apoptotic assays
  • proliferation assays
  • pathway activation/inhibition

6. Primary cell cultures

The availability of primary cell cultures (tumor cells and fibroblasts) - in addition to tissues, serum, plasma and urine samples - gives a unique basis for preclinical drug testing and functional analysis of molecular targets. It allows correlation of expression data with functional data. Upon request, Indivumed's Research Laboratories can perform functional tests (e.g., proliferation and toxicity assays). This service can be applied to freshly isolated cell cultures and, thus, be performed in cells which come as close as possible to the cell behavior in patients.

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