Automated image analyser is allowing scientists at King's College London to improve the accuracy of their molecular biology research to identify druggable targets to repair spinal injuries
Syngene, a manufacturer of image analysis solutions, reports that its GeneGenius automated image analyser is allowing scientists at King's College London, a major centre for the study of spinal injuries, to improve the accuracy of their molecular biology research.
The Sensory Function Group at King's College is using a GeneGenius to help determine, by using western blot analysis, if a family of proteins - already described during development as growth cone collapsing proteins - is regulated in adult spinal cord injury.
Besides this application, the group is currently using the system to check how efficiently riboprobes for use in in-situ hybridisation studies are labelled with fluorescein, as well as quantifying RT-PCR products generated from RNA.
The long-term aim of this research is to identify which proteins impair axonal growth after injury, in an attempt to design treatments to alleviate and repair spinal cord injuries. Marta Agudo, a postdoctoral fellow in the Sensory Function Group, explained: "We originally installed a GeneGenius because in comparison with another system we evaluated, we discovered it was easier to use and its GeneTools software produced very precise results." We have been using the GeneGenius for over a year and have found automated imaging has not only significantly speeded up our research but has given us greater confidence in its accuracy".
Paul Ellwood, Syngene's sales and marketing director, commented: "The continuing work on spinal cord injuries at King's College is very exciting and has the potential to alleviate considerable unnecessary suffering.
"We are very pleased to see our GeneGenius making such a valuable contribution to this worthwhile research."
