Streamlining Cell Culture Assays for Cancer Research

Researchers at Tübingen University Hospital are using PIPETBOY acu 2 pipette controllers and the VACUSIP portable aspiration system from Integra Biosciences to help them identify new tumour cell targets. Collaborating closely with doctors on the ward, researchers aim to develop new treatment options for previously untreatable cancers, making them available to patients as quickly as possible.

Dr Omelyan Trompak, postdoctoral researcher in the Internal Medicine VIII department, commented: “We perform cell cultures and biochemical assays around the clock, working with up to 50 human and animal cell lines every day. The PIPETBOY acu 2 pipette controller is therefore one of the main tools we use in the lab. They’re very ergonomic and the built-in motor allows us to pipette extremely quickly. The batteries also charge really fast, which is important for our high throughput lab, as we can’t afford to waste time waiting for the controllers to charge.”

The team also uses the compact VACUSIP aspiration system for the removal of small volumes of waste liquids when carrying out assays. Its silicone hand operator allows the user to carefully regulate the liquid flow by applying varying finger pressure, something which is crucial for the delicate tasks involved in Omelyan’s research. “We regularly run invasion assays as part of our research, and the challenge for us is to extract very small volumes of excess liquid from the wells without damaging the thin barrier membrane. The VACUSIP allows us to do this efficiently and significantly speeds up our workflow.”

Omelyan concluded: “The lab has been using Integra products for many years, and we’re totally satisfied with them. Together, the PIPETBOY acu 2 and VACUSIP have enabled us to increase our lab productivity and throughput, helping to advance our vital research into cancer treatments.”

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