Application lab Life Science

The “Life Science Application Laboratory” is closely linked to the development of the research field of plasma medicine and provides comprehensive equipment for modern analytical and molecular technologies.

The extensive instrumental equipment, which was largely created by the ZIK plasmatis projects, enables a thorough and multi-layered processing of current research questions in the life science field.
The influence of plasma on biological systems can be investigated at all levels, from organisms, tissues (organs) and cells to subcellular molecules.

Material to be examined includes:  

• Tissue samples from the clinic
• Tissue samples from animal experiments
• (Bio)materials and irritation tests on the incubated chicken embryo model (HET-CAM)
• Vascularizing and matrix-forming 3D tumor organoids (TUM-CAM)
• 3D multicellular spheroids
• Primary cells and cell lines
• Proteins, peptides, lipids, nucleic acids

This variety of samples requires a wide range of analysis methods and devices. The following analyses are available:

in vivo imaging:

• IVIS S5 in vivo bioluminescence and fluorescence imager (Revity)
• TIVITA-Wound Medical documentation and hyperspectral camera (DiaSpective Vision)
• Issue processing and tissue sectioning:
• OctaMACS Multisample Tissue Dissociator (Miltenyi)
• Automatic tissue processing for fixation and kerosene embedding (Milestone Medical)
• Microtome (Leica)
• Cryomicrotome (Leica)

Imaging:

• Operetta CLS 8-LED confocal fluorescence high-content imaging device with climate chamber (PerkinElmer)
• Observer Z.1 with motorized stage for fluorescence microscopy and climate chamber (Zeiss)
• TC5 confocal laser scanning microscope with climate chamber (Leica)
• Stereo fluorescence microscope (Leica)
• Professional software for quantitative image analysis (Las-X, Harmony, Zen)

Flow cytometry:

• 7-laser 32-parameter MoFlo-Astrios-EQ 6-way cell sorter (Beckman-Coulter)
• 3-laser 6-parameter ImageZytometer Amnis ImageStream Mark II with autosampler (Merck)
• 6-Laser 21-Parameter CytoFLEX LX Flow Cytometer with Autosampler (Beckman-Coulter)
• 3-Laser 9-Parameter Gallios Flow Cytometer (Beckman-Coulter)
• 1-Laser 4-Parameter Flow Cytometer Attune NxT (ThermoFisher)

RNA analysis:

• SPRINT Multi-parallel RNA quantification (NanoString)
• QuantStudio 1 qPCR (ThermoFisher)

Proteomics / mass spectrometry:

• QExactive classic, QExactive Plus and OrbiTrap Exploris 480 with (very) high resolution (ThermoFisher)
• TripleTOF5600 (high resolution) and QTrap5500 (triple quadrupole) for small molecule analysis (both ABSciex)
• Nanoflow and normal flow liquid chromatography (nLC, UHPLC) for sample introduction (identification and quantification of compounds)