Zebrafish Model
Key regulators of bone formation are highly conserved between mammals and teleosts. The corresponding orthologs share significant sequence similarities and an overlap in expression patterns when compared to mammals. Cranial cartilage is the first skeletal structure to be detected as early as 3 days post-fertilization, while first calcified intramembranous bone structures start to form at about […]
Stability testing
Stability testing is performed after storage in defined conditions according to standard and accelerated ICH conditions. We provide you with different range of storage conditions. All storage rooms are fully-controlled with 24/7 monitoring and alert systems. Our services include: Support in designing studies for real-time Development and validation of “stability indicating methods” Examination of stability-relevant […]
Computational models for tissue engineering
One of the major challenges in tissue engineering is the translation of biological knowledge on complex cell and tissue behavior into a predictive and robust engineering process. Mastering this complexity is an essential step towards clinical applications of tissue engineering. In order to tackle these issues, researchers at GIGA are developping computational models that can help in: Quantifying and optimizing […]
Spontaneous osteoarthritis Guinea pig model
This guinea pig model mirrors the histopathological characteristics observed in human disease. The joint pathology in both guinea pig and human is age-related and linked to a diversity of risk factors such as body weight, mechanical load and high bone turnover. It is characterized by an early collagen fibril disruption occurring in articular cartilage, bone cysts, subchondral bone […]
Osteoarthritis rabbit model
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slowly progressing, degenerative disorder of synovial joints culminating in the irreversible destruction of articular cartilage and subchondral bone. Acute anterior crucial ligament (ACL) injury has been shown to be a significant risk factor for the development of secondary OA. In this model, OA is surgically induced by the transection of the ACL and […]
Model-based therapeutics
By combining mathematical models and experimental and/or clinical data, we have built “virtual patients”. A virtual patient represents a specific patient in a particular state relative to the system modeled (e.g. metabolic, cardiovascular, pulmonary and musculoskeletal). These virtual patients are useful to: Implement bedside decision-support clinical systems Safely and rapidly design, prototype and optimize treatment […]
Drug administration & Patient monitoring
Centralized clinical unit with 30 equipped hospital beds Experience in running different study types and trial design Different types of drugs like NCE and NBE Database of more than 2.700 healthy and reliable volunteers Privileged access to medical and technical expertise of CHU and ULg (such as Cyclotron, GIGA, CIP, Sleep Center, Pain clinic…) We offer […]
Radiotracers
GIGA researchers have developed the 18F-FB-mini-PEG-E[c(RGDyK)](2), 18F-FPRGD2, a radiopharmaceutical targeting the integrin αvβ3, a transmembrane heterodimeric receptor regulating cell interaction with the extracellular matrix (ECM). The interaction site of integrin αvβ3 with ECM is a tripeptide sequence arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) present in a wide range of ECM molecules including fibronectin, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, thrombospondin, […]
Biomarker discovery platform
We acquired a solid expertise in the field of clinical proteomics for biomarker and the discovery of new therapeutic targets in many types of biological matrices (plasma, serum, synovial fluids and tissues [biopsies, FFPE tissue sample]). We focus on rheumatic diseases (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, pseudarthrosis). We can provide complete proteomics solution for companion […]
Selective glucocorticoid receptor agonists
Glucocorticoids (GC) are potent anti-inflammatory drugs widely used to induce remission in rheumatoid arthritis or to treat an acute flair-up in osteoarthritis. Unfortunately, GC contribute to adverse events giving rise to metabolic syndromes such as diabetes and weight gain, leading sometimes to a high morbidity. Accordingly, we focus on new molecules, namely selective glucocorticoid receptor […]