Technologies and facilities

The experimental expertise of ICNT investigators has been optimised, and the infrastructure/instrumentation tailored to provide a stand-alone, efficient operation for validating drug targets, designing novel therapeutics and recombinant expression/ purification/characterisation. A national High Through-put Drug Screening Facility is available for in-depth, quantitative evaluation of candidates’ biological activities including:

- Mass spectrometry and proteomics

- Automated liquid handling/analysis

- Robotised QPatch and 2 patch-clamp electrophysiology rigs

- A multi-photon microscope for ex vivo/in vitro imaging, with an integrated electrophysiology rig for associated recording of functional activities in the identified neurons of interest

- Specialised licensed laboratories that are fully equipped for quantifying pain-relieving activities of therapeutics in vivo

- For proceeding to clinical evaluation of promising candidates, purified biotherapeutics suitable for human use can be obtained using a newly-built and appropriately-equipped facility.

Mutually beneficial collaborations are welcomed, and/or industrially-funded undertaking of specialised projects.