Afternoon oral presentation abstracts for SouthEast LRIG July 2002 Symposia:
"IonWorksTMHT - A New High-Throughput Electrophysiology Measurement Platform"
Jennings Worley, Amphora Discovery Corporation
In order to eliminate the throughput restrictions of classical patch clamp electrophysiology, Essen Instruments has developed a plate-based ion channel measurement platform. The system is capable of measuring whole-cell electrophysiological recordings in a manner which allows for thousands individual cells to be tested in an 8-hour day. Data demonstrating typical throughput, measurement fidelity and comparative pharmacology will be presented for Type III Na channels, the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.5 and hERG. The commercialized instrument is called IonWorksTM HT and will be sold and supported by Molecular Devices Corporation.
"Thermogenic Imaging- Novel in vitro and in vivo Assay Platforms for Measuring Metabolic Changes Associated with Drug Therapies"
Mark A. Paulik, Departments of Metabolic Diseases and Technology Development, GlaxoSmithKline, RTP, NC
Thermogenic Imaging (TI) is a technology based on the novel use of infrared thermal imaging that provides a tool for understanding cellular function in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. The technology offers a robust, non-invasive screening method for a number of biological processes in a variety of disease areas. TI provides real-time, quantitative information monitoring biological function including: Metabolic changes, inflammatory responses, toxic responses and other physiological processes in cells, tissue explants and animals. For in vitro analysis, a fully automated system is being developed to measure real-time thermogenic activity of cells in a 96-well format. Since the technology makes a non-destructive measurement in a homogeneous format, the plates with in vitro and/or ex vivo material can be subjected to follow-up endpoint assays resulting in a powerful battery of measurements. For in vivo analysis, a system has been developed that measures tissue and organ thermogenesis in rodents and other small animals. These assays provide both dose-dependent and time-resolved data sets in animals that allow for the analysis of acute function (e.g. seconds, minutes) and enable optimal sampling for biochemical analysis or isolation of genetic markers. Taken together, the data indicate TI can be used to measure non-invasively both catabolic and anabolic processes in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo as an alternative or complement to more laborious, invasive and expensive methods. Current validation and applications of the technology to various in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo biological systems will be presented.