Facilities








Ex vivo models




Skin

Porcine skin is an excellent model for human skin due to high structural and chemical similarities. We use porcine skin from pig ears obtained from a local abattoir in accordance with veterinary authorities.

We also have access to human skin which is obtained from Plastic surgeries performed in local hospitals with the approval of the Central Committee for Ethics in Research.

Porcine skin is used unprocessed (full thickness) or processed to obtain the desired thickness using Electrical / Air dermatomes (250 – 750 µm) or Thomas Stadie-Riggs slicer (750 -1500 µm). The permeation area is punched out so as to fit the diffusion cells

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Porcine skin
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Human skin
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Air Dermatome


Eye

Porcine eye is a very efficient anatomical model for the human eye due to high structural similarities. We use porcine eyes from pigs obtained from a local abattoir in accordance with veterinary authorities

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Porcine eye


GI tract

Living porcine intestine is used in ex vivo experiments to investigate human intestinal drug absorption. We have chosen porcine gut because it exhibits the highest similarities to human intestine compared to intestinal tissue from other animals. The intestinal tissue is obtained from local slaughterhouses in accordance with veterinary authorities.

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Living porcine intestine


Buccal mucosa

Porcine oesophagus has been demonstrated to be an excellent surrogate for human buccal mucosa. We use porcine oesophagus from pigs obtained from a local abattoir in accordance with veterinary authorities to investigate buccal drug delivery.

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Porcine oesophagus



Drug delivery and formulation



Franz cell permeation system

Franz diffusion cells are used to investigate drug delivery across biological barriers: the model tissue is clamped in between the donor and receiver compartments of the cell, the drug is applied to the barrier from the top cell and its permeation is monitored in the receiver compartment over time

A special Franz cell was designed for the study of drug delivery to the whole eye.

Some of the different types of Franz cells
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Laser poration​

We are currently investigating the effect of P.L.E.A.S.E.® (Painless Laser Epidermal System) pretreatment to improve transport kinetics in collaboration with Pantec Biosolution.
This device uses an Er.YAG laser to apply energy at 2.94 microns, which is one of the principal absorption bands of water molecules present in the skin. Their excitation and subsequent evaporation leads to the formation of microchannels in the skin that facilitate drug delivery. This can be used with low molecular weight therapeutics and provides a more patient friendly means of delivering therapeutic macromolecules by offering a viable alternative to parenteral administration.

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P.L.E.A.S.E device
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Iontophoresis​

Iontophoresis employs a small electric potential to increase the rate of transport of polar and charged species across the biological barrier. The current intensity and duration of current application determine the rate and extent of delivery. Iontophoresis provides tightly controlled drug delivery and as such is well-suited to the administration of peptides, and low molecular weight therapeutics whose pharmacological effects depend on their input kinetics.

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Ocular iontophoresis set up


Ussing chambers

A 6 Ussing chamber system is used in our group to determine intestinal drug absorption. One chamber consists of a donor and acceptor compartment as well as an insert to add the intestinal tissue between the two compartments. Each compartment is provided with a tube to add a gas mixture. On one hand, it mixes the experimental solutions and on the other hand it allows the oxygenation of the intestinal tissue. The use of two pairs of Ag/Cl electrodes for applying / measuring currents and tensions allows the constant monitoring of the tissue viability, in case of the intestinal tissue of high evidence.

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Ussing chamber system


Biodistribution

In order to understand how the drug is retained and distributed within the biological membrane after a permeation experiment, we use a histological Cryoslicer in order to separate the membrane in micrometer-scale horizontal slices. Each slice is then subjected to quantification to yield high-resolution biodistribution profiles of the drug as a function of membrane depth

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Cryotom


Patch casting coater

The Labcoater allows preparing drug delivery systems (patches) systems by coating various kinds of drug containing matrixes on backing foils. The automated process leads to optimum homogeneity and precision of drug content.

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Patch casting coater


High shear homogenizer

A mechanical high-shear homogenizer is used to prepare semi-solid formulations: hydrogels, emulsions, foams.



Cryomill

A cryogenic mill is used to micronise drugs raw material, excipients, microparticulate formulations or solid tissue samples.



Formulation characterization

Formulations need to be characterized for their drug content, physical and chemical stability, particle content, size distribution.
To perform such characterization steps we have acess to Optical microscopes, SEM and TEM, rheometers, Zetasizer, Mass, IR and NMR spectrometers.



Imaging techniques

Formulations need to be characterized for their drug content, physical and chemical stability, particle content, size distribution.




Bioimaging platform

The UNIGE provides access to a highly equipped Bioimaging plateform including Single and Bi-photon confocal microscopes, SEM and TEM.

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Optical Coherence Tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an established medical imaging technique that uses low-coherence interferometry in near-infrared light to obtain micrometer-resolution, three-dimensional images from within optical scattering media i.e biological barrier.

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Cross sectional micrograph of porcine oesophageal mucosa


Analytics

Drugs in formulations and in drug delivery experiments need to be quantified by specific, sensitive and robust analytical arsenal:




HPLC-UV-Fluo and HPLC-Ion chromatography

High pressure liquid chromatography ensures accurate and precise quantification of lipophilic and polar, neutral and ionized drugs in formulation and in vitro experiment samples: the typical limits of quantification are of 5 ‎μg/ml.

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Chromatic separation and identification of TRN isomers


UHPLC-UV

Ultra High pressure liquid chromatography ensures accurate and precise quantification of lipophilic and polar, neutral and ionized drugs in formulation and in vitro experiment samples: the typical limits of quantification are of 5 μg/ml. Moreover the chromatographic system is miniaturized leading to short analysis times and thus high throughput analyses.

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UPLC-MS/MS


UHPLC-MS/MS

UHPLC-MS/MS combines the advantages of UHPLC and the cutting edge tandem mass detection with the ability to detect the analytes selectively in complex matrixes and with ultra-high sensitivity: : the typical limits of quantification are of 5 ng/ml.

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MRM scan of testosterone


Flash chromatography

Flash chromatography is a preparative HPLC system used to purifiy reaction mixtures during the prodrug synthesis activities.



Immunoassays

Proteic drugs that cannot undergo chromatography are often quantified using immunoassay provided as kits or developed in house.