Cell-based Research

A Candidate Anti-CD52 Therapy

Researchers have used composite human antibody technology to develop a candidate therapeutic humanized antibody that may have the potential to be more efficacious and less immunogenic than the current standard anti-CD52 therapy. Their article, titled "Characterisation of a Novel Anti-CD52 Antibody with Improved Efficacy and Reduced Immunogenicity," was published in the journal, PLOS One, on 15 September 2015.

The study made use of a number of cell lines, including Raji, HUT-78 and NS0, as obtained from the European Collection of Cell Cultures (ECACC; Porton Down, Salisbury, UK).

To read the article, click here.

Cell Line Utility for Ovarian Cancer Research

Researchers have described an approach for assessing the experimental utility of cell lines with apparent higher genomic fidelity to patient tumors by comparing the most commonly used cell line in high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) preclinical studies, SKOV3, with two less well-described cell lines, KURAMOCHI and OVSAHO. Their article, titled "Beyond genomics: Critical evaluation of cell line utility for ovarian cancer research," was published online in the journal, Gynecologic Oncology, on 29 August 2015.

To read the article, click here.

Primary Culture Models from Head and Neck Tumors

Researchers have reviewed the feasibility and success percentages of previously described fresh primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) culturing techniques, and their preclinical chemo- and radio-sensitivity assays. Their article, titled "Feasibility of Primary Tumor Culture Models and Preclinical Prediction Assays for Head and Neck Cancer: A Narrative Review," was published on 28 August 2015 in the journal, Cancers.

To read the article, click here.

Good Cell Culture Practice

Upcoming Webinar: What's in Your Flask?

Dr Amanda Capes-Davis, Chair of the International Cell Line Authentication Committee (ICLAC), will present a webinar titled, "What's in your flask? Global answers from authentication testing," at 6:00 am Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) / 9:00 am Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on 6 October 2015, this being 12:00 am Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) on 7 October. The webinar is being offered by ECACC in association with Sigma-Aldrich, and will focus on:

• cell line misidentification and its implications
• latest technology in authentication testing and its impact on reproducibility
• requirements for publication and for reporting preclinical research.

To register for the live webinar, or to access the webinar recording afterwards on-demand, click here.

How CellBank Australia Can Help

ComBio2015

CellBank Australia is participating as an exhibitor at Combio2015.

ComBio2015, which incorporates the annual meetings of a number of Australian and New Zealand Societies, is being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (Melbourne, VIC, AU) from 27 September to 1 October 2015. If you are here at ComBio2015, please do stop by our booth to see me. It'd be great to have a chat about your research, and how we can be of help.