• Chemical library (>5.000 in house compounds available for biological screening)
• Organic synthesis of small molecules & heterocyclic compounds
• Drug hemisynthesis from natural products
• Small to large scale compound purification
• Chiral resolution of racemic compounds
• Determination of physicochemical properties and complete characterization of organic compounds by spectral and elemental analyses
• Bio-guided isolation and structural determination of natural substances
• Preparative isolation of natural products at the gram scale (prepHPLC, prepCPC, prepTLC)
• Lab scale extraction of natural products

• Our Robotein Platform encompasses an Octet system that allows high-throughput analyses of protein interactions in 96- and 384-well microplates. It enables real-time and label-free determination of affinity, kinetics and concentration. This makes it highly suitable for the characterization of drug candidates.
• Our GIGA imaging platform encompasses a Becton Dickinson’s (BD) Pathway 855 High-Content Bioimager, which is a high performing imaging solution for live or fixed cell samples combining image quality, flexible image capture and live-cell analysis.BD Pathway system provides fluorescence intensity measurements, kinetic imaging and morphological analysis, including sub-cellular imaging. Images can be captured in either confocal or wide field mode to deliver high-resolution images for subsequent analysis.

The GIGA focuses on the study of membrane receptors with a particular interest in G protein coupled receptors of unknown or elusive function.

The lab has a large expertise in:

• Development of original in vitro/ex vivo assays for the identification of active compounds
• Molecular cloning, epitope-tag fusion and mutagenesis of receptors/protein of interest
• Calcium assays
• cAMP measurement
• Resonance Energy Transfer technology (BRET and FRET)
• Co-Immunoprecipitation
• Critical assessment of existing assays for use in screening setting
• Elucidation of active molecule mechanisms and signaling pathway
• Discovery of original compounds modulating a protein/target
• Complete pharmacological profile of active molecules (pharmacodynamics)
• Analysis of signal pathways
• Targeted mutagenesis for binding pocket determination
• Receptor localization and trafficking
• Receptor tissue expression
• Chemical library screening (medium throughput)

• Determination of chemical stability (non-enzymatic degradation), stability in biological fluids (plasma, saliva, gastric juice)
• Assessment of passive absorption and permeability
• Identification of drug transporter substrates
• Prediction of blood brain barrier permeability
• Evaluation of metabolic stability 
(Microsomal Stability, Plasma Stability, Hepatocyte Stability)
• Protein Binding Assays (plasma, microsomal, brain)
• CYP profiling and inhibition
• Advanced mass spectrometry analysis of drugs and metabolites (identification and resolution of chemical structures)
• Quantitative determination of the distribution in organs and tissues of small rodents by LC-MS
• In silico prediction and PK/PD modeling of human ADME profile

• Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) compliant toxicity studies in mice, rats or rabbits
• Extended single dose (microdose) toxicity studies with hematology, clinical
• Chemistry, necropsy, and histopathology data
• Neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity (ECG, BP) and respiratory toxicity
• 28-days or 90-days repeated toxicity studies with non-compartmental toxicokinetics
• Design of preclinical safety studies for authorization

• Local clinical trial centre to cover phase I and II clinical studies jointly with University Hospital of Liège (close interaction with clinical experts)
• Pharmacokinetic assessment in human
• Metabolism assessment with identification of drug metabolites in human (in various sample matrices)
• Comparison of drug biotransformation in human and animal
• Identification of structural features: analysis of relationships of drug structure and biological responses to understand target and untargeted drug effects.
• Degradation products identification or impurities profiling of active pharmaceutical ingredients and drug products
• Bioanalysis of natural or xenobiotic components
• Metabolism elucidation of food supplements
• Biomonitoring of oxidative stress biomarkers
• Evaluation of formulation and drug delivery technologies