Accomplishments
Our three focus areas have several common areas of development, including the science and technology necessary to screen for biological activity, discover and validate biomarkers (using both experimental and computational methods), and develop sensor platforms and predictive models.
Early accomplishments include two screening methods for use in better understanding biological response at cellular levels:
Cell culture lines have been developed with reporter constructs that fluoresce if a specific biological activity is initiated in response to particulate matter exposure.
A 3-dimensional cell culture capability has been tested and successfully infected with norovirus. Traditional cell cultures often do not display disease from infectious agents, requiring instead the use of animal testing. This finding opens the door for rapid screening of biological agents in 3-D human cell cultures and methods for studying virulence and infectivity.
Both of these screening techniques are critical tools that allow us to link the biological activity to biomarkers.
