Food Technology and Nutrition Center of Excellence

The POLARstar Omega and Tecan Infinite 200 PRO are versatile, filter-based multifunction microplate readers. Routine work currently covers important areas in basic research, but more importantly in applied research areas such as cytotoxicity studies, oxidative stress testing, and the determination of physico-chemical sum parameters.

Technical Data:

UV-Vis measurement (220 - 1000 nm) | Fluorescence intensity measurement (Ex /Em (nm): 355/460, 485/520, 544/590,584/620, 546/675) | Luminescence measurement (incl. BRET) | Time-resolved fluorescence measurement (TRF) | Fluorescence polarization measurement | endpoint and kinetics measurements | spectral scanning (absorption) | Well scanning | measurement of 6 - 1536 well microplates | temperature regulation

BIO-SUN from Vilber Lourmat is a microprocessor-controlled, cooled UV irradiation system for Petri dishes and microtiter plates. In the BIO-SUN, the emission of UV light is constantly monitored by a microprocessor. Irradiation stops automatically when the set dose (energy) is reached. Thanks to the UV sensor, the irradiation cycles are therefore perfectly reproducible and independent of intensity fluctuations of the UV source. Human or animal cell cultures (different cell lines are available in our laboratory) can be exposed to specific UV radiation in Petri dishes or microtiter plates to simulate the influence of sunlight on certain cell systems, such as eye or skin cells. Combined with cytotoxicity or oxidative stress tests, the negative effect of UV radiation can be quantified. Subsequently, substances (synthetic or natural) that reduce the harmful effects of UV radiation can be identified and tested. The system is of great importance with regard to product development (e.g. in the cosmetics industry).

Technical Data:

Two UV sources (4 x 30 W 365 nm and 2 x 30 W 312 nm) | irradiation for microtiter plates and Petri dishes | high irradiation homogeneity | irradiation of cellular systems with UV radiation under controlled conditions

Caco-2 (human colon cancer cell line) and IPEC-J2 (porcine small intestinal cell line) cells are adherent cells that show physiological similarity to human small intestinal epithelium. This allows biochemical transport processes to be reproduced. Furthermore, a multi-channel Ussing chamber is available for transport studies in living tissue, which makes it possible to perform continuous long-term studies. The Caco-2 or IPEC-J2 model is a recognized pharmaceutical model for the initial assessment of the bioavailability of orally administered drugs and is thus widely used in many fields.

Technical Data:

Simulation of the human intestine by forming a polarized cell monolayer in 6-/12-/24-wells | recognized pharmaceutical cell model for the assessment of drug bioavailability | extension of methodology and adaptation for food and feed production or optimization