Our lab has an MRI scanner at its disposal. We use it, e.g., to track dendritic cells in melanoma patients for monitoring of cellular therapy.

We have experience in multicolour flow cytometry. Besides ELISPOT, tetramer based 8-colour flow cytometry has become our routine monitoring assay, allowing extended phenotypic and functional characterization of T cell subpopulations. Of special interest has become the identification of polyfunctional T cells (capable to simultaneously exert several functions, i.e. production of various cytokines and killing activity) since these have been shown to elicit more effective immune responses in HIV vaccination trials.

Our laboratory has a FACS Canto II (Manufacturer: BD Biosciences - URL: http://www.bdbiosciences.com/features/products/display_product.php?keyID=594) at its disposal. For instance, we used multimers kindly provided by Pierre Coulie (Brussels) together with surface markers (such as CD8, CD4, CD3, CD45RA, CCR7, CD25, CD27, CD137, CD127) in different 8-color panels on this FACSCanto II.

A comprehensive protein inventory of clinical grade immature and cytokine cocktail matured (Il-6, IL-1 beta, TNF alpha, PGE2; 48 hours) monocyte derived human dendritic cells (DC) from a healthy donor has been established by using high accuracy, high sensitivity protein identification technology. We have identified 2794 proteins in DCs by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

We have access to and experience with using a linear ion trap / Fourier Transform (LTQ-FT) hybrid mass spectrometer. For example, we use it to analyse purified tryptic peptides.

Our laboratory has an electroporator at its disposal. It is used for instance for RNA electroporation into DC.

In our institute, we have a 9-colour FACS cell sorter our disposal. It is used, e.g., for the analysis of various DC populations.

A confocal microscope is available in our laboratory.

We have used the electron microscope that is available to our lab, e.g., to document the production and secretion of tubulovesicular structures by cells overexpressing VSV-G glycoprotein and for documentation of production and secretion of tubulovesicular structures.

Genopolis hosts a microarray platform that uses the Affymetrix GeneChip® microarray technology for genome and transcriptome analyses. In 2008, this platform was enhanced by the incorporation of a new institute [the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics] to provide ‘Illumina’ microarray profiling. The following services are currently available: Whole genome genotyping applications, which include: 1. family-based association studies 2. cancer genetics 3. population genetics 4. chromosomal copy number analysis Whole genome gene expression profiling application...

There is a confocal microscope at our disposal for confocal imaging.

We have a FACS Aria cell sorter at our disposition from BD Biosciences (URL: http://www.bdbiosciences.com/features/products/display_product.php?keyID=53). We used this FACS Aria among other things for fluorescence activated cell sorting for proteomic investigations. Using Fluorescence activated cell sorting allowed us to obtain highly pure fractions of CD8+, CD4+ and DN DC subsets. However, because DC are a very rare population, this method is very material- and cost-intensive. Furthermore, it is not surprising that the obtained cell numbers of each subset after isola...