Cell-based Research

Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines

Researchers at the Flinders Centre for Innovation in Cancer - Flinders University (FCIC; Bedford Park, SA, AU) have used the HCT 116 and LIM1215 cell lines to determine the tumor suppressor properties of miR-18a in colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. Their findings were reported in a 7 November 2014 PLOS One article titled, "miR-18a Inhibits CDC42 and Plays a Tumour Suppressor Role in Colorectal Cancer Cells."

 
To read the article, click here.

 
For those who are interested in colorectal cancer research, another article titled "Colorectal cancer cell lines are representative models of the main molecular subtypes of primary cancer," was published in Cancer Research on 15 June 2014. Click here to read that article.

Good Cell Culture Practice

Contamination of cell lines due to the presence of additional cell populations - either microbial or from other, unrelated cell lines – was first described in the 1960s. It remains a serious problem today, with 10-30% of cell lines believed to be affected worldwide. Awareness of the problem and Good Cell Culture Practice are essential to improve the quality of results obtained with cultured cells.

Upcoming Doherty Institute Seminar

CellBank Australia has offered a free seminar to research institutions in the Sydney area in 2014. The seminar, titled "Cell Culture 2014: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," has been developed by Amanda Capes-Davis, and focuses on;

• Implementing Good Cell Culture Practice guidelines (“the Good”);
• Detecting Mycoplasma contamination (“the Bad”); and
• Avoiding misidentified cell lines (“the Ugly”).

Amanda has kindly agreed to present the seminar at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Doherty Institute; Parkville, VIC, AU), from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm on Friday 21 November 2014. A drop-in session will also be held that same day from 1:45 pm to 3:00 pm in the Doherty tearoom (nibbles provided). Researchers from outside the Doherty are most welcome to attend both the seminar and the drop-in session.