CELLBANK AUSTRALIA'S NEWSLETTER

Fast Facts

The core functions of CellBank Australia are dependent on cleanroom and liquid nitrogen storage facilities. Cultures are grown in separate incubators, handled using standard operating procedures, and tracked using an extensive database that records all culture-related events. All cell line vials are stored in the vapor phase of liquid nitrogen and are constantly monitored through a building-wide alarm system. It is functions such as these that enable us to store and distribute the cell lines of overseas repositories in addition to our own novel cell lines.

Indeed, today we hold more than 800 of the most commonly requested cell lines of the European Collection of Authenticated Cell Cultures (ECACC), and can ship those out in days, not weeks, to Australian and New Zealand researchers. Also, we:

     * Distribute more than 1,800 ECACC cell lines in total

     * Offer highly competitive cell line pricing

     * Charge the same small delivery fee for all Australian capital cities

     * Provide cell culture advice, pre- and post-sale, and

     * Offer local cell culture capability should you need a live culture, or master and working banks.

Click here to find out more about ECACC's cell lines.

Cell-based Research

Regulating Tissue Biomechanical Properties

Using the emerging technique of optical coherence elastography and atomic force microscopy on breast cancer cell monolayers and tumor spheroids, a team of Australian researchers have shown for the first time that extracellular vesicles (EVs) are mediators of tissue biomechanical properties and have also demonstrated a link between the acquisition of cancer multidrug resistance and increased tissue stiffness of the malignant mass. Their article, titled "Deciphering Cell-to-Cell Communication in Acquisition of Cancer Traits: Extracellular Membrane Vesicles Are Regulators of Tissue Biomechanics," was published in OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology, on 1 August 2016. The cell lines, MCF-7, MCF-7/Dx, and VLB₁₀₀, were used in their studies.

To read the article, click here.

Reducing Inflammation Caused by Airborne Particulate Matter

Researchers have for the first time investigated the effects of four essential oil components on the reduction in inflammation induced by particulate matter in human bronchial epithelial (BEAS-2B) and human liver carcinoma (HepG2) cell lines. Their article, titled "Essential oil components decrease pulmonary and hepatic cells inflammation induced by air pollution particulate matter," was published online in the journal Environmental Chemistry Letters on 22 August 2016. The cell lines used in their studies were obtained from ECACC.

To read the article, click here.

Inactivating Cytomegalovirus in Human Breast Milk

Australian researchers have confirmed that UV-C irradiation can effectively inactivate CMV in breast milk. Their article, titled "Inactivation of Cytomegalovirus in Breast Milk Using Ultraviolet-C Irradiation: Opportunities for a New Treatment Option in Breast Milk Banking," was published in the journal PLOS One on 18 August 2016. Human foreskin fibroblasts were used in their studies.

To read the article, click here.

How CellBank Australia can Help

As Australia's only national not-for-profit cell line repository, CellBank Australia is an essential part of Australia's national research infrastructure. Our facility provides quality-validated cell lines and cell culture related services on a cost-recovery basis to the Australian and international research community.

Human Cell Authentication Testing

For human cells, CellBank Australia uses Short Tandem Repeat (STR) profiling to examine the number of tetranucleotide repeats at various loci to differentiate cell lines from different donors. CellBank Australia now offers human cell authentication testing for just ** $166 Australian dollars ** per sample, excluding GST.

For more information about our service, click here.