Pharmacology
In vitro pharmacology laboratories are equipped for extractions of receptors from live cells or fresh/ frozen animal tissues (-80oC freezers, tissue homogenizers, centrifuges); and investigation of the mass action and functional roles of drug-receptor complexes (cell harvesters, Beta Liquid Scintillation counters) at cellular and sub-cellular levels.
The laboratories can handle radioactive activities such as auto-radiography, radioimmunoassays and cytotoxicity, from a wide range of radioisotopes depending on their half lives, such as 123-I, 125-I, 3-H, 35-S and 32-P. Equipment for other cell-related work includes UV spectrophotometers and multiplate readers.
A laboratory for investigating in vivo pharmacokinetics of novel radiotracers is equipped with advanced SPECT/CT imaging equipment and bio-distribution facilities.
A gamma counter is used to obtain specific organ uptake and excretion profiles of radiotracers and in in vitro binding assays.
ANSTO cultures a number of tumour cell lines (e.g. prostate, melanoma, breast and glioma) to support both in vitro and in vivo studies. In order to study novel radiopharmaceuticals in an animal model of cancer, we culture cells for tumour inoculations into rats and mice.
The Beckman Coulter Cell Lab Quanta SC flow cytometer can accurately measure the size and the granularity of a cell, while measuring up to three fluorescent dyes simultaneously.
ANSTO's histology laboratory is equipped with a cryostat, microtome, paraffin embedding station, and light and fluorescent microscopes and is used to perform both histological and immunocytochemical staining.
Facilities for autoradiographic experiments (in vitro and in vivo) using various radioligands include small and large cryostats, a radioligand binding laboratory, dark room facilities for film development, a phosphorimager, and image analysis systems (MCID, Image-Pro) for quantification of autoradiographs.
A cryomicrotome is used for sectioning large specimens for whole body autoradiography.
The phosphorimager uses reusable plates to create an image of the radioactivity present in a sample, with a shorter exposure time than x-ray film.