VTT speeds up drug development with advanced microarray technology
RNA interference technology allows single microchip to screen thousands of genes simultaneously
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland has developed an RNA interference technology that allows a single microchip to be used to screen the functions of tens of thousands of genes simultaneously. Traditional methods normally only allow a few hundred genes to be screened with each microplate, and therefore the new method will accelerate VTT’s service offering in the field of drug development.
‘VTT has already tested the method on a panel of almost 100 cancer cell types and found it to be both efficient and reliable. We have used the method especially in breast cancer and prostate cancer studies,’ said Juha Rantala, a research scientist at VTT and the method’s founder.
The researchers says the main benefit of the new method is that it allows such a large number of samples to be analysed simultaneously, which saves both money and human resources, and speeds up research.
The findings of the study were published in BMC Genomics, a journal specialising in the methodologies of genetic research.
Miniaturised cell spot microarray techniques, which are used to analyse the functioning of cells, have featured in drug development at VTT for a few years, and VTT says they are both an important research tool and a development priority.
The centre uses ultra-high throughput screening (UHTS) techniques to study how one gene or groups of genes regulate the cell activities, and how the cell functions promote health, or cause illnesses. RNA interference technology allows genes to be ‘silenced’ and thereby inhibit protein production of genes. Potential future use of RNAi technology also includes the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses.
The method developed by VTT is mostly used in genomic-scale analyses, which have previously been very expensive.
Other potential applications include studying the combined effects of genes and drugs. Research scientists at VTT have also cited the method previously in a scientific publication focusing on the cell division of breast cancer cells. The method is believed to significantly boost VTT’s commercial activities with the drug industry.
