ICDT

September 2024

This year, The Centre for Fundamental Research and Preventive Strategies in Medicine has been endowed with new equipment, purchased through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The newly acquired cutting-edge digital equipment includes a Fast Protein LChromatography (FPCL) system, which is efficiently used for separating and purifying proteins, nucleic acids and other biomolecules. 

Starting in March this year, the Centre has expanded its research capacity through its endowment with an improved dark field microscopy system, to wit an advanced optical imaging solution that enables the non-destructive visualization of nanoparticles up to 10-20 nm (metals, oxides, polymers or viruses) in various media, from solutions and living cells to material matrices, without requiring fluorescent labeling. The equipment provides high resolution against an ultra-dark background, and features a dual fluorescence mode, aimed at simultaneously spotting fluorescence and reflection (scattering) signals, while having an extensible architecture that allows for the subsequent integration of a hyperspectral imaging module.

In March as well, a high-resolution Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer was also purchased for the purposes of research, specifically for the advanced characterization on the molecular structure, conformation and interaction of proteins, by analysing the absorption of infrared radiation. It resorts to a Peltier standard thermostated detector, an attenuated total reflectance module (ATR) with diamond crystal that allows for the non-destructive analysis of samples in aqueous solutions by eliminating interference caused by water absorption. This equipment has a modular architecture, which facilitates the subsequent addition of a second automatic switch detector, and is supported by specialised software packages for spectral library search and calculation of the secondary structure, thus ensuring accurate results without requiring complex preparation of the samples.

Within the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system equipped with a quaternary pump, autosampler, column thermostat, utraviolet-visible light (UV-VIS), diode array (DAD) and electrochemical (ECD) detectors, with mass spectrometer (MS) coupling was also purchased. 

These advanced analytical tools can be used as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis lines, with UV-VIS and fluorescence detectors, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis line, and ion chromatography analysis line with conductivity detector, in order to establish the anion gap. This equipment is used for the separation, identification and precise quantification of chemical compounds (pesticides, mycotoxins, drugs, antioxidants, etc.) and biochemicals (metabolites) in a complex mixture (environmental, food or biological samples), and it offers flexibility for possible applications and sensitivity analysis methods. 

A fully automated fluorescence, colorimetric and transmitted light microscopy system was also purchased, with a controlled medium for cell cultures, with a powerful software, with various predefined analysis protocols, including angiogenesis, apoptosis, autophagy, cell counting, cell differentiation, endocytosis, protein expression, transmitted light cell count, and more.

Apart from the aforementioned, a vertical ultra-freezer with accessories, a CO2 incubator, an automated hematology analyzer, a cell dissociation apparatus, a gel analysis system for UV/colorimetry, fluorescence, multifluorescence and chemiluminescence applications, an apparatus for the study of biomolecular interactions with accessories and an automated capillary electrophoresis system for the separation of different biologically active compounds (medication and metabolites) were purchased as well.