Viral Nanotechnology Group ****************************************************************************************** * ****************************************************************************************** ****************************************************************************************** * Offer ****************************************************************************************** Our mission is to identify the crucial principles of the win-lose game between virus and c this knowledge for reprogramming virus particles into platforms that can be used to diagno disease. - Experience in small scale antigen and vaccine production - Expertise in the design, modifi cation, production and purification of polyomaviruses ba - Protein production in baculovirus expression system - Expertise in molecular biology and virology of small DNA tumorogenic viruses - Education in virology and viral nanotechnology - Highly-qualifi ed and enthusiastic human resources ****************************************************************************************** * ****************************************************************************************** "We explore viruses as sophisticated nanoparticles that have been engineered by evolution interaction with host cells." ****************************************************************************************** * Know-how & Technologies ****************************************************************************************** Using the polyomaviruses, papillomaviruses and related virus-like particles (VLPs, non-inf capsids) as a research tool, we try to understand their natural interactions and further a capsid as biocompatible nanocarriers of therapeutic or diagnostic compounds for biomedical antigens for vaccines. Specifically we: - Use polyomavirus/papillomavirus VLPs to accommodate and deliver cargo molecules (e.g. dr target cells – to study endocytosis or deliver compounds into the cell - Modify VLPs to target specifi c (e.g. cancer) cells – VLPs can be used to diagnose or tr tissue - Modify VLPs to enhance the release of viral nanostructures from the cellular endolysosom can deliver substances more efficiently or promote an immunological response - Modify VLPs with selected epitopes and use them as adjuvants and antigen carriers – VLPs vaccines or antigens for antibody production - Use VLPs derived from human polyomaviruses as a tool for the clinical diagnosis of infec ****************************************************************************************** * Content of Research ****************************************************************************************** The group of viral nanotechnology is part of the laboratory of virology. In the area of ba the laboratory of virology is focused on the endocytosis of polyomaviruses, mechanism of d their genomes into the cell nucleus and study of the innate immunity response to a viral i application research, polyomavirus-based VLPs were successfully used for vaccine production or the pro diagnostics kits. ****************************************************************************************** * Main Capabilities ****************************************************************************************** - Production of selected polyomaviruses - Production of pseudovirions derived from papillomaviruses and polyomaviruses - Production of proteins/antigens/VLPs in mammalian and baculovirus expression system - In vitro disassembly and reassembly of viral capsids - Genetic and chemical modifi cation of viral capsids (successfully used for re-targeting unnatural, cancer-specific receptor or for vaccine production) - Virus/VLPs visualisation and study of cellular trafficking by microscopy and biochemical ****************************************************************************************** * Key Research Equipment ****************************************************************************************** - Fully-equipped laboratory for molecular genetics (including cyclers, real-time PCR instr sequencing systems, etc.) - Ultracentrifuge - Cell and tissue culture laboratory (BSL2) - Luminometry, photometry and fluorometry (Varioskan Flash Multimode Reader) - Flow cytometry facility - Microscopic facility (including advanced confocal and electron microscopy) - Virus and cell culture biobank ****************************************************************************************** * Partnerships & Collaborations ****************************************************************************************** *========================================================================================= * Academic Partners *========================================================================================= Cooperation with academic research groups from Institute of Inherited Metabolic Disorders, Medicine, Charles University, Prague; Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of t of Science (Prague, Czech Republic); School of Medicine, Cardiff University, UK. *========================================================================================= * Private and Public Sector *========================================================================================= VIDIA spol. s r.o., Czech Republic; Dyntec spol. s r. o., Czech Republic *========================================================================================= * Main Projects *========================================================================================= - Study of endocytosis via modifi cation of viral nanoparticles. GACR P305/17-11397S - New materials and technologies for diagnostics of polyomaviruses in immunodefi cient pat TH01010548 - Investigation of viral particles as nanosystems for the transport of substances into tum Project sponsored by the League Against Cancer Prague - Development of diagnostic components and adaptable technology for preparing recombinant viral artificial nanostructures. TACR TA03010700 - Participation in projects funded by the Charles University Grant Agency ****************************************************************************************** * Achievements ****************************************************************************************** Publications in respected international journals, one patent and two utility models regist inventor): - UV No. 29249: Vakcína založená na proteinové virové nanočástici odvozené z bovinního pap - UV No. 29310: Vakcína založená na proteinové chimerické nanočástici proti prasečímu cirk - Patent application No. E267152: Vakcína založená na proteinové chimerické nanočástici pr cirkoviru 2. ****************************************************************************************** * 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 *========================================================================================= RNDr. Hana Španielová, Ph.D. Department of Genetics and Microbiology Web: www.natur.cuni.cz/biology/genetics [ URL "http://www.natur.cuni.cz/biology/genetics"]