Fraunhofer ITEM aims to protect man from health hazards and to contribute to the development of novel therapeutic approaches. With our additional specialization on cardiovascular research, we offer customized setups:
Microscale thermophoresis (MST) describes a process in which molecules undergo directional movement due to a temperature gradient. It can be utilized for highly sensitive interaction studies of fluorescently labeled, e.g. RNA-based therapeutics at a microliter scale, regardless of their size or chemical composition.
Thus, MST is significantly superior to isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in terms of sample volume consumption or experimental setup, as it also does not require immobilization of an interaction partner. MST can be used to investigate various RNA/DNA/proteins for their binding capacities towards potential target structures in a preclinical setting. In this way, binary and ternary interactions can be assessed and analyzed for future RNA drug candidates being identified early on and in a cost-efficient manner.
Adverse effects of drugs, such as cardiotoxicity, are a major concern in pharmaceutical development and a major cause of drug withdrawal from the market. The xCELLigence RTCA Cardio ECR operates label-free and non-invasively to detect the effects on 2D human cardiac function in real time, allowing validation of cardiotoxicity in an early stage of drug discovery.
Bridging the gap from basic research to mid-stage development is key in translational research, especially in cardiac model systems. We offer cardiac model systems that utilize a 3D platform of living myocardial slices (LMS) derived from cardiac tissues (human, rodent, pig). Multicellular preparations are cultivated under physiological conditions covering mechanical and electrical stimulation (MyoDish system). Miniaturized LMS allow high-throughput formats.
Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine