Experimental colitis through serial assessment of disease activity by 18F-FDG PET/CT (December 2012) Preclinical evaluation of potential drug candidates for human inflammatory bowel disease is performed in murine models of colitis. The most widely used model is dextran-sodium sulfate(DSS)-induced colitis. Non-invasive imaging of murine experimental colitis by Positron emission tomography (PET) combined with radiotracers is feasible and offers the opportunity of serial follow-up investigations. This technique significantly reduces the number of test animals. More...
Organ culture assay as a replacement for the Draize test (April 2011) Interaction of chemicals and pharmaceuticals with the eye can be investigated using an organ culture in vitro assay based on rabbit corneas obtained from abattoir waste. Full metabolic function is maintained over a culturing period of up to 21 day enabling observation of recovery after chemical or mechanical trauma and undesired side effects during pharmaceutical treatment without the need for animal experiments. More...
3D model of human epithelial airway barrier (June 2010) Particle-lung cell interactions can be investigated in a triple cell culture in vitro model of the human airway wall. It is possible to analyze the cellular interplay and response of epithelial cells, human blood monocyte derived macrophages and dendritic cells after exposure to particles. More...
Quantitative, non-destructive biofilm analysis on irregular surfaces using microcalorimetry (January 2012) This in-vitro approach allows the quantification of biofilm formation on implants, human bone grafts and bone-graft substitutes by means of microcalorimetry. The method has the advantage of allowing the detection of bacterial biomass without removing the biofilm from the surface of the specimen. More...
Organ culture assay as a replacement for the Draize test (April 2011) Interaction of chemicals and pharmaceuticals with the eye can be investigated using an organ culture in vitro assay based on rabbit corneas obtained from abattoir waste. Full metabolic function is maintained over a culturing period of up to 21 day enabling observation of recovery after chemical or mechanical trauma and undesired side effects during pharmaceutical treatment without the need for animal experiments. More...
3D model of human epithelial airway barrier (June 2010) Particle-lung cell interactions can be investigated in a triple cell culture in vitro model of the human airway wall. It is possible to analyze the cellular interplay and response of epithelial cells, human blood monocyte derived macrophages and dendritic cells after exposure to particles. More...