Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Toxicology ****************************************************************************************** * ****************************************************************************************** "We are open to collaborations in areas of drug-induced cardiotoxicity, photodynamic thera well as other research topics that can make use of our expertise and/or instrumentation." ****************************************************************************************** * Offer ****************************************************************************************** Apart from wide array of standard instrumentation and experimental protocols, we can offer unique instruments and techniques, particularly: isolated rat neonatal ventricular cardiom which are highly useful for mechanistic studies in: - cardiovascular physiology - pharmacology - toxicology - molecular biology NVCM cells are highly advantageous over the readily available immortalized cell lines whic important in cardiotoxicity studies. Furthermore, we are equipped with Lonza 4D Nucleofector device with the Y-unit for transfe primary cells. ****************************************************************************************** * Expertise ****************************************************************************************** The research of our laboratory is focused on diverse aspects of molecular and cellular tox - Using cultured cells (both isolated primary cell cultures as well as permanent cell line advancing the mechanistic understanding of various types of cellular injuries and actions substances - We study differences in actions of various agents in different cell types and involvemen specific cell death pathways, including apoptosis – the most important type of the program - We also focus on mitochondria – organelles crucial for cell death and survival and key m intrinsic apoptotic pathway ****************************************************************************************** * Content of Research ****************************************************************************************** Most of our research projects aim at drug-induced cardiovascular toxicity, particularly th of anthracycline anticancer chemotherapeutics, but we also examine cardiotoxic properties anticancer drugs (and/or their combinations with anthracyclines). Our next important topics are cardiac oxidative stress, catecholamine cardiotoxicity and t active iron and other transition metals in oxidative stress and toxicity. We are engaged in several collaborative projects aimed at development of potential cardiop but also study novel potential anticancer agents with iron-chelating and photodynamic prop ****************************************************************************************** * Key Research Equipment ****************************************************************************************** *========================================================================================= * Study of Material Properties *========================================================================================= - The Faculty of Pharmacy provides the laboratory with good technical background and core including deep freezers, cell line cryopreservation facility, spectrophotometers and fluor the versatile Tecan Infinite 200 M plate reader, various centrifuges and ultracentrifuges as well as radioactivity and GMO accredited laboratories. - Our cell culture laboratory enables experiments with both permanent cell lines and isola cell cultures, such as the cardiomyocytes. - We have two biohazard class II laminar flow cabinets, CO2 and CO2/N2 incubators, Newport lamp source 450– 1000W Xe-ozone free lamp (for photodynamic experiments) and an inverted e microscope (Nikon Eclipse TS100) with a digital cooled CCD camera and NIS Elements 3.10 so (Laboratory Imaging). - We recently obtained new Lonza 4D Nucleofector device equipped with the Y-unit for trans adherent primary cells and have access to the Accuri C6 flow cytometer. - For advanced microscopical methods we use Nikon A1+ confocal system (based on Nikon Ecli integrated and motorized inverted microscope) with Perfect Focus System, highly sensitive digital camera Andor Zyla 5.5, NIS Elements 4.2 software (Laboratory Imaging), CoolLED flu and Top Stage CO2 Incubator. ****************************************************************************************** * Partnerships & Collaborations ****************************************************************************************** *========================================================================================= * Main Projects *========================================================================================= This laboratory coordinates network of several groups joined in the Charles University Res the Study of Toxic and Protective Effects of Drugs on Cardiovascular System. This center integrates approaches of biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, toxi bioanalytical chemistry, in order to bring together complementary skills, knowledge, and r jointly address the research problems. *========================================================================================= * Main Ongoing Grant Projects *========================================================================================= - Czech Science Foundation (13-15008S): New potential cardioprotective agents: study of st relationships in various types of myocardial injury - Czech Science Foundation (13-27761S): Development of new photosensitizers for photodynam investigation of their mechanism of action on cellular level ****************************************************************************************** * Achievements ****************************************************************************************** - Highly cited publications in respected international peer-reviewed journals - Presentations at international and domestic scientific conferences ****************************************************************************************** * Are you interested in this expertise? ****************************************************************************************** Please contact CPPT UK Web: www.cppt.cuni.cz/ [ URL "https://cppt.cuni.cz/"] Mail: transfer@cuni.cz Phone: +420 224 491 255 ****************************************************************************************** * Experts and their department ****************************************************************************************** Prof. PharmDr. Tomáš Šimůnek, Ph.D. Department of Biological and Medical Sciences Web: http://portal.faf.cuni.cz/Groups/Molecular-and-Cellular-Toxicology-Group [ URL "http: portal.faf.cuni.cz/Groups/Molecular-and-Cellular-Toxicology-Group"]