Mission of the CUCA

Research at CUCA has focused on global, mostly human tumor related, translational genomic and proteomic research for the identification of new biomarkers and their biological characterisation. This approach is assisted by four main techniques:

1. Laser based microdissection or cell separation of pure starting material (e. g. normal and tumor tissue)
2. ProteinChip Array (SELDI) and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis of complex biological samples (cells, tissues) to identify differences between normal and diseased samples (or, in general, between probes with unknown proteomic differences)
3. MALDI-Imaging iss the use of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization as a mass spectrometry imaging technique in which a thin tissue section, is moved in two dimensions while the mass spectrum is recorded.

The CUCA is also a world leader in combining tissue microdissection with proteomic techniques (SELDI).

The CUCA is equipped with a laser microdissection system (PALM Microbeam C), with a new generation PCS 4000 (SELDI, Ciphergen), Agilent DNA Array system and all other standard devices.