The Cell Model Systems Platform is an innovative life-science technological facility focused on the development of market-driven biotech products for cell research, drug discovery and therapeutic market. The platform will be one of the leading suppliers of ¨Ready-to-Use¨ primary brain cells products. In particular, the facility will focus on providing the expertise and setting up novel procedures for cell culture through the synergy of worldly recognized experts in these fields and the promotion of collaborations with both academic and biotech industry partners.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Cells

The CNS Cell Platform operates in the production and delivery of products and services for advanced research related to the CNS. The platform aims at becoming the reference point for both basic research and industrial applications in the field of CNS pathologies, by delivering cutting edge technology, highly skilled basic expertise and innovative products into the field of neurotechnology (neuropharmaceuticals, neurodevices and neurodiagnostics).

An active and continuous interaction is foreseen with the Stem Cell Platform for the study of differentiation processes of stem cells into neurons and for the study of the potential role of stem cells in neuronal survival and/or in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes proliferation.

R&D activities and Technological services:

• identification of factors facilitating growth and survival of CNS cells (neurons, astrocytes, microglia);
• setting and production of purified primary brain cultures at different developmental stages in ready-to-use formats (pure primary cultures of astrocytes, neurons and microglia and mixed co-cultures) combined with application of multidisciplinary assays for development of drugs acting on the CNS;
• integration of biocompatible polymers and nanostructured substrates with CNS cells for tissue engineering, development of innovative solutions for the delivery of drugs acting on cell-to-cell communication in the CNS.