Corning will be marking the industry's 100th anniversary of cell culture with numerous initiatives and promotions throughout 2007
Corning's year-long celebration will provide members of the life sciences community with access to various historical and educational resources, as well as modern-day product and best-practice information.
"For nearly the entire history of cell culture, Corning has supplied cell-culture researchers with the products needed to grow their cells, including tissue culture dishes, microplates, roller bottles, flasks and Cellstack culture chambers," said Maryanne DeChambeau, targeted marketing manager, Corning Life Sciences.
"As a leader in the field, we felt this major milestone in cell culture was an ideal opportunity to educate the market about its esteemed history, the miraculous drugs and vaccines that have resulted and the researchers and technologies that made it all possible".
During 2007, Corning will provide dedicated content on its website that spotlights researchers and product developments associated with the 100-year history of cell culture.
Additionally, Corning will offer anniversary promotions and contests, and incorporate numerous cell culture topics and historic features into its existing scientific seminar series.
The seminars are free online technical sessions that researchers can attend to gain tips and best practice information about growing and working with cells.
Corning is constantly developing new products and technologies to meet tomorrow's needs for better research and production tools.
The company is currently exploring and/or involved with new technologies for growing cells, artificial organs and tissues, new cell-based drugs and vaccines, and stem cell technologies.
Recent examples include the Corning Epic system, the industry's first high-throughput, label-free screening platform for both biochemical and cell-based drug discovery applications, and culture vessels with the new Corning Cellbind and Ultra-Web synthetic surfaces, which provide new substrates for researchers who are developing applications such as stem-cell-based therapeutics or replacement tissues and organs.
Major Corning milestones and firsts throughout the history of cell culture include:.
1915: Introduction of Pyrex glass.
1923: Alexis Carrel develops first cell-culture flasks from Pyrex glass.
1954: Polio virus for Salk's vaccine grown in Pyrex five litre Povitsky bottles.
1974: Introduction of first plastic canted-neck flasks.
1974: 15ml and 50ml disposable centrifuge tubes in racks.
1975: One-piece plastic roller bottles.
1983: Opticell ceramic-matrix bioreactors.
1989: CellCube stacked plate bioreactors.
1994: Ultra-low-attachment surface culture vessels.
2003: Corning Cellbind surface culture vessels.
2004: RoboFlask vessels.
2005: Disposable spinner flasks 2007: Low-profile flasks.
2007: Hyperflask cell-culture vessels.
"For the past 100 years, cell culture research has resulted in drugs and vaccines that have made a profound impact well beyond the walls of labs and research facilities," said John Ryan, technical marketing manager, Corning Life Sciences.
"We are proud to be such an active contributor to the history of cell culture and are pleased that our work extends into the lives of people around the world".
Corning Life Sciences helps customers succeed by providing innovative, high-quality products and service in the areas of polymer science, biochemistry and molecular biology, glass melting and forming, surface modification and characterisation science.
