Our laboratory has expertise in applying a fluorescence microscopy method to analyse proximal signalling events induced by cross-linking C-type lectins.

The GenePix 4000 software package was used to quantify microarray fluorescence in a yeast microarray experiment.

The FAX analyser available in the laboratory is used, e.g., to measure transfection efficiency.

The flow cytometer at the disposal of the laboratory is used, for example, to assess Th subsets.

The FACS analyzer avaiable to the lab is used, among other things, to assess protein expression of tumor antigens or soluble proteins.

There is a GMP facility for conduction of phase III clinical trials available. The structural up-grade of this facility has limited the number of patients recruited.

The gene gun system available to the laboratory was used, e.g., for micro-particle bombardment of murine skin.

The Genopolis microarray database serves as an easy interface for the data generated by the Affymetrix GeneChip platform. DC transcriptomic data produced in the past 4 years has made been an accessible resource for data sharing and data integration accessible to all the DC community. The experiments on mice and rat are currently being annotated and conserved in the Genopolis database. Direct access to the primary data held in the Biopolo database is responsibility of the BIOPOLO Project Management System (see http://www.biopolo.it/).

Experience has been gained in identifying DC presenting a specific peptide via a sensitive immunofluorescent staining technique.

This FACS analyser that is available to us is used, e.g., for the analysis of dendritic cells.

We have expertise in DNA vaccination with the gene-gun available to us to directly transfect skin DC in vivo either with expression plasmids or siRNA plasmids to knockdown target genes and follow the effect on the resulting T cell response.

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...

For our work, we have a fluorescence microscope at our disposal. We use it, among other things, to analyse DC distribution in spleen and how this is affected during inflammation driven by stromal cells or hematopoietic cells.

Knowledge on ELISPOT analyses is available in our lab for immunomonitoring of patients treated with Apo-DC +/- GM-CSF.

Our lab has expertise with Elispot assays. We evaluated the capacity of autologous DC and HEK293 cells transfected with relevant HLA alleles to function as T cell targets in Elispot assays upon transfection with tumor antigen encoding plasmids.

We have experience with ELISA assay for IL-17 from e-Bioscience.

We have expertise in performing ELISA assays. For instance, we use the ELISA kit for IL-12 and IL-10 from Biosource to evaluate cytokine accumulation in supernatants at 24h, according to a standard protocol and it was measured at 450n

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

Our lab has experience in carrying out ELISPOT analyses. For instance, an IFNgamma ELISPOT assay with PBMC loaded with peptide pools (each consisting of 10 15-mers, which overlap with 11 aminoacids) was done for a study on antigen recognition.

We use the electroporator at our disposal, for instance, to electroporate dendritic cells with melanoma antigen RNA .