The Laboratory of Industrial Toxicology and Advanced Analytical Methods is equipped with state-of-the-art high-tech analytical equipment and can provide the necessary support for toxicological investigations. It includes several areas: Spectroscopy, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS-MS), Molecular Biology, Cell Culture, Immunochemistry.
Main Lines of Research
The research activity carried out in the Laboratory of Industrial Toxicology and Advanced Analytical Methods is characterized by:
- the identification and determination of biological indicators of exposure (or internal dose) and effect capable of highlighting early alterations attributable to even low environmental exposures in critical organs/systems, such as kidney, lung, nervous system, neuro-endocrine and immune systems, in order to evaluate the dose-effect (or response) relationship in humans. Research spans various fields: from nephrotoxicology, to pneumotoxicology, to neurotoxicology,
- the identification of susceptibility biomarkers and their application in gene-environment interaction studies,
- the development of in vitro experimental models to study the toxic effects of xenobiotics present in living and working places and to understand the physio-pathological and predictive significance of indicators applied in epidemiological studies,
- the study of oxidative stress.
- the study of toxicological effects of different types of nanoparticles
The Laboratory offers the possibility of internships and traineeships to students, residents of the University and support to doctoral students engaged in research in the medical field.
Techniques in use
Spectroscopy, Gas-Chromatography and Liquid Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry
(GC-MS, LC/MS-MS):
- determination of trace elements/metals in biological matrices.
- liquid chromatographic separations of organic compounds,
- chromatographic separation of volatile compounds,
-determination of volatile organic compounds, their metabolites and indicators of oxidative stress in biological matrices.
Molecular Biology:
- amplification of specific sequences by traditional PCR method,
- separation of nucleic acids by agarose and acrylamide gel electrophoresis,
- characterization and quantification of nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, microRNA, mitochondrial DNA) by RealTime PCR method.
Immunochemistry:
- enzyme immunoassay methods for quantification of proteins, inflammation factors in different biological matrices (serum, plasma, urine, induced sputum, exhaled air condensate).
Cell cultures:
- cultures of primary and tumor cell lines,
- in vitro models for cytotoxicity studies.
Main instrumentation provided
- Atomic Absorption Spectrometer - PINAAcle 900Z+FURNACE AUTOSAMPLER AS900 - PERKIN ELMER
- Fluorescence Spectrophotometer - CARY ECLIPSE - VARIAN/AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES
- LC/MS/MS system - API 4000 MSD - SCIEX with HPLC 1100 - AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES
- LC/MS/MS system - QTRAP 6500+ - SCIEX with UHPLC ExionLC
- Single quadrupole (8860) gas chromatograph (5977B) - AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES with PAL3 autosampler
- Microplate reader - MULTISKAN ASCENT - THERMO LABSYSTEMS
- Real Time PCR - ICYCLER - BIORAD
- QuantStudioTM 7 Flex Real-Time PCR System THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC
- Varioskan LUX Multimode Microplate Reader THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC
- Ella Automated Immunoassay System (Bio-Techne)
- CytoFlex (Beckman Coulter)
