The method uses planarians as an alternative in vivo model to assess carcinogenicity. Planarians are characterized by a high regenerative capacity and a large number of pluripotent stem cells. The assay is based on the discriminative power of stem cells in an in vivo setting. Based on specific stem

Last updated on: 28-03-2024 - 08:56

Contact: Karen Smeets
Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Through leveraging our combined computational and biological knowledge, we have proven expertise supporting clients in: (1) Tailored analysis of single-cell data that incorporates relevant biological information, including application of AI and machine learning, (2) Studying the stochastic

Last updated on: 11-03-2024 - 13:31

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: BioLizard
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
Through leveraging our combined computational and biological knowledge, we have proven expertise supporting clients in: (1) Evaluating and validating the potential for predictive modeling within your projects, (2) Developing and applying machine learning techniques and other AI-based

Last updated on: 11-03-2024 - 13:31

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: BioLizard
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
Through leveraging our combined computational and biological knowledge, we have proven expertise supporting clients in: (1) Developing and applying a range of statistical methods tailored to specific problem settings in both clinical and non-clinical datasets, (2) Integrating multi-omics

Last updated on: 11-03-2024 - 13:30

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: BioLizard
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
We have implemented the use of 3D patient-derived tumor organoids, to study metabolic (dys)functions associated with tumor development and progression, including response to anticancer therapies. These sophisticated models allow to better integrate the influence of microenvironmental conditions in

Last updated on: 23-02-2024 - 16:20

Contact: Cyril Corbet
Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Adult intestinal stem cells are grown into closed 3D structures with protruding buds and a luminal compartment. These 3D structures are produced from the stem cells present in the base of crypts isolated from rectal mucosa samples that can be collected by suction or forceps biopsy. The crypts are

Last updated on: 22-02-2024 - 11:15

Contact: Anabela Ramalho
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Drug-induced intrahepatic cholestasis (DIC) is a main type of hepatic toxicity that is challenging to predict in early drug development stages. Preclinical animal studies often fail to detect DIC in humans. In vitro toxicogenomics assays using human liver cells have become a practical approach to

Last updated on: 15-02-2024 - 11:59

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
The chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model is particularly attractive to study short-term xenografting of human ovarian tissue. Its angiogenic potential and natural immunodeficiency allow scrutiny of early follicle activation and loss and graft revascularization mechanisms. Chick embryo

Last updated on: 14-02-2024 - 17:24

Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
The application of liver organoids is very promising in the field of liver tissue engineering; however, it is still facing some limitations. One of the current major limitations is the matrix in which they are cultured. The mainly undefined and murine-originated tumor matrices derived from

Last updated on: 22-01-2024 - 17:28

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The culture of primary human synoviocytes provides an excellent cellular model for studying the normal and pathological physiology of synoviocytes and the development of joint diseases. Human primary synoviocytes can either be provided by commercial suppliers or isolated from fresh biological

Last updated on: 17-01-2024 - 11:32

Contact: Julie Uerlings
Organisation: ARTIALIS
Status: History of use, Internally validated
Adverse outcome pathway (AOP) networks are versatile tools in toxicology and risk assessment that capture and visualize mechanisms driving toxicity originating from various data sources. They share a common structure consisting of a set of molecular initiating events and key events, connected by key

Last updated on: 20-02-2024 - 09:27

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Method to culture human epidermal keratinocytes and seed them for tissue reconstruction at the air-liquid interface over a polycarbonate porous membrane.

Last updated on: 19-12-2023 - 19:19

Contact: Yves Poumay
Organisation: Université de Namur (UNamur)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
More than 3 million deaths worldwide are linked to excessive alcohol consumption. Alcohol abuse associated gut barrier dysfunction is thought to play an important role in the development of alcohol-associated liver disease. Although some aspects that contribute to this process have been elucidated,

Last updated on: 30-10-2023 - 10:05

Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Partners: UCLouvain, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, UCLouvain
Status: Still in development
Fiber biopersistence is a key factor in understanding the pathogenicity of man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF). Today, compliance to Note Q in Annex VI of Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures may only be demonstrated via in vivo

Last updated on: 19-12-2023 - 19:17

Contact: Léa Hiéronimus
Organisation: Eurima is the European Insulation Manufacturers Association
Status: Still in development, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Endotoxins are lipopolysaccharides anchored at the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria. These pyrogenic compounds can be introduced in pharmaceutical products during their manufacture and could induce severe physiological reactions in humans. This is why endotoxins are dosed, in order to assure

Last updated on: 28-09-2023 - 11:59

Contact: Flore Laurent
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: Internally validated, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
The maturation of the human brain shows species-specific differences of neoteny when compared to lower mammals. This process encompass a time window that expands from late embryonic stages to early adolescence. Major features of brain maturation are the acquisition of phenotypic complex traits such

Last updated on: 25-09-2023 - 14:38

Organisation: University of Liège (ULiège)
Status: Still in development, History of use
Immersion treatment: zebrafish embryos at the two-cell stage were immersed in Danieau’s medium containing the compound. A compound concentration of 10 µM and DMSO concentration of 0.1% (v/v) in a volume of 5 mL was used per well (6-well-plates). At 72 h, the zebrafish medium containing the compound

Last updated on: 01-09-2023 - 09:32

Contact: Marie Pardon
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
This assay evaluates the sprouting ability of endothelial cells in a collagen matrix and it used as an in vitro model to study the formation of new blood/lymphatic vessels. The effect of pro-angiogenic growth factors or co-cultured cells can be measured by quantifying the amount of vascular sprouts

Last updated on: 25-08-2023 - 09:11

Contact: Diede Houbaert
Organisation: Cellular and Molecular Medicine - KU Leuven
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
UHDR irradiations show healthy tissue sparing effect known as the FLASH effect. Since 2014, the FLASH effect is investigated worldwide to understand how it works and how to trigger it. The FLASH effect is defined as an in vivo effect. However, in vivo models are often expensive and time-consuming.

Last updated on: 05-09-2023 - 08:45

Contact: Lucas Schoenauen
Organisation: Université de Namur (UNamur)
Status: Still in development
The spatiotemporal distribution of fluorescent compounds was examined during 48 h after immersion (10 µM) or microinjection (2 mg/kg) in the pericardial cavity (PC), intraperitoneally (IP) and yolk sac (IY) of 3 dpf zebrafsh eleuthero-embryos. By modelling the fluorescence of whole-body contours

Last updated on: 01-09-2023 - 09:43

Contact: Marie Pardon
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Zebrafish-based platforms have recently emerged as a useful tool for toxicity testing as they combine the advantages of in vitro and in vivo methodologies. Nevertheless, the capacity to metabolically convert xenobiotics by zebrafish eleuthero embryos is supposedly low. To circumvent this concern, a

Last updated on: 01-09-2023 - 09:55

Contact: Marie Pardon
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The use of patient-derived primary cell cultures in cancer preclinical assays, including drug screens and genotoxic studies, has increased in recent years. However, their translational value is constrained by several limitations, including variability that can be caused by the culture conditions.

Last updated on: 20-07-2023 - 15:05

Contact: Ahmad Najem
Organisation: Institut Jules Bordet
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to assist the calving process in the cow and how to perform artifical insemination and rectal palpation in cows. Although training on living animals is

Last updated on: 28-06-2023 - 13:53

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to handle cows and pigs in a correct and safe way. Although training on living animals is indispensable, a part of the training process can be performed on

Last updated on: 28-06-2023 - 13:53

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
NMTox is an R-software package and a Shiny app that can be used to explore and subset large datasets and can identify and test for monotonic dose responses. The package was developed within the NanoInformaTIX project where a platform is developed that aims to predict nanomaterial toxicity.

Last updated on: 22-08-2023 - 10:43

Contact: Geert Verheyen
Organisation: Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to monitor and approach an animal under anesthesia. Furthermore, they need to learn ventilation techniques and comprehension of an anesthetic machine. An

Last updated on: 23-06-2023 - 17:14

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. Endotracheal intubation after induction of anesthesia is an important and commonly performed procedure in veterinary practice. An important part of this training process can be performed on a simulator in

Last updated on: 23-06-2023 - 17:13

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to rescuscitate an animal. A first important part of this training process can be performed on dummy models and simulators in the skillslab.

Last updated on: 23-06-2023 - 17:13

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, History of use
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. A rectal purse string suture is a commonly performed small surgical procedure in veterinary practice. An important part of this training process can be performed on a simulator in the skillslab.

Last updated on: 23-06-2023 - 17:13

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. Small animal ovariectomy and ovariohysterectomy are important and commonly performed procedures in small animal veterinary practice. An important part of this training process can be performed on a home-made

Last updated on: 23-06-2023 - 17:11

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. Feline orchiectomy is an important and commonly performed procedure in small animal veterinary practice. An important part of this training process can be performed on a home-made dummy in the skillslab.

Last updated on: 23-06-2023 - 17:11

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. Basic experience of ultrasound technique and how to work with an ultrasound machine can be obtained using a basic model containing different 3D structures. An important part of this first training process

Last updated on: 22-06-2023 - 11:45

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. A thorough teeth examination in horses requires the placement of a mouth speculum, which is a commonly performed procedure in equine veterinary practice. An important part of this training process can be

Last updated on: 22-06-2023 - 11:45

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. Nasogastric intubation is an important and commonly performed procedure in equine veterinary practice. An important part of this training process can be performed on a simulator in the skillslab.

Last updated on: 22-06-2023 - 11:45

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. Rectal palpation is an important and commonly performed procedure in equine veterinary practice. It is used primarily in determining the reproductive status of mares, but is also used in the diagnosis of

Last updated on: 22-06-2023 - 11:44

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to administer intravenous fluids and medication by the use of infusion systems. An important part of this training process can be performed on dummy models and

Last updated on: 19-06-2023 - 12:01

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
This empirical model is used to assess the weighted value of driving biomaterials properties in the intra-oral bone regeneration process. We used partial least square regression (PLSR) to construct empirical models that relate combinations of (quantified) biomaterial characteristics to intra-oral

Last updated on: 08-06-2023 - 14:26

Contact: Ehsan Sadeghian
Organisation: University of Liège (ULiège)
Partners: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), University of Liège (ULiège), Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: Internally validated
The Systemic Intestinal Fermentation Research technology, SIFR in short, is a uniquely validated simulation of gut microbial ecosystems, shown to be predictive for clinical outcomes. The SIFR can simulate a wide variety of gut microbiota from humans (infants, adults, elderly; healthy, diseased) to

Last updated on: 08-06-2023 - 14:24

Contact: Aurélien Baudot
Organisation: Cryptobiotix
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Using an in vitro flow system adhesion assay, immune cell adhesion to (blood-brain barrier) endothelial cells can be quantified under physiological blood flow conditions. Endothelial cells can be treated with inflammatory cytokines or therapeutic antibodies to mimic inflammatory diseases. Immune

Last updated on: 06-06-2023 - 10:35

Contact: Doryssa Hermans
Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Digital twins of the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, allowing the virtual simulation of various invasive or non-invasive measurements (cardiac output, ballistocardiography signal, blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, FeNO, DLNO, FEV1, etc.) on healthy or pathological subjects, of variable size

Last updated on: 24-04-2024 - 12:16

Contact: Benoit Haut
Organisation: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Severely burned skin can exhibit serious contractions that may negatively impact the mobility of joints of patients. The method deals with post-burn evolution of skin, in which one considers the balance of momentum, cells, collagen and chemokines. The balances are represented in terms of partial

Last updated on: 05-09-2023 - 11:43

Contact: Fred Vermolen
Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: Still in development, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Dissolution test aim to evaluate the release profile of a drug from the dosage form. It allows anticipating the potential available dose of the drug within a certain period of time once administered.

Last updated on: 24-04-2023 - 15:34

Contact: Jonathan Goole
Organisation: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Macrophages orchestrate reactive particle segregation, compact aggregates of immune cells and non-immune cells and promote fibrosis-surrounding granulomas. We developed a simple 3D in-vitro model that mimics granuloma formation and categorizes granuloma-inducing inorganic particles. Macrophage

Last updated on: 03-04-2023 - 11:21

Contact: Léa Hiéronimus
Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: Still in development, Internally validated
We aim to differentiate ovarian cells isolated from postmenopausal ovaries into steroidogenic theca interna cells. For this purpose, cryopreserved ovarian cortex fragments are used to isolate ovarian cells. These cells are cultured on collagen and supplemented with growth factors defined to promote

Last updated on: 20-03-2023 - 13:52

Contact: Hanne Vlieghe
Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Generally, our research group aims to study the influence of food parameters (food design, food processing, food composition) on the digestive kinetics of diverse nutrients throughout the upper gastrointestinal tract. For this, we use in vitro digestion protocols. The current method is a semi

Last updated on: 15-02-2023 - 16:08

Contact: Tara Grauwet
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to do an oftalmological and otoscopic examination. An important part of this training proces can be performed on dummy models in the skillslab.

Last updated on: 15-02-2023 - 10:51

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to collect urinary samples in an aseptic way. An important part of this training process can be performed on dummy models and simulators in the skillslab.

Last updated on: 15-02-2023 - 10:51

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to administer intramuscular, subcutaneous, intradermal and intravenous injections to different animal species. Furthermore, they need to learn intravenous

Last updated on: 15-02-2023 - 10:52

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
Primary epithelial stem/progenitor cell populations are isolated from the murine lung using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) or magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS). Purified epithelial stem/progenitor cells are grown together with mesenchymal cells in Matrigel, a material enriched for

Last updated on: 15-02-2023 - 10:50

Contact: Smole Ursula
Organisation: VIB - UGent
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
Full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulations solve the laws of Maxwell for a given problem. When designing a wireless solution for an Internet of Animal Health (IoAH) application, multiple iterations are needed to achieve well-defined metrics such as energy efficiency, electrical and mechanical

Last updated on: 13-02-2023 - 16:48

Contact: Jasper Goethals
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Partners: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated
Computational neuroscience aims to study the nervous system by mathematical and computer simulations. Computational models can be built on multilevel scales. With the bottom-up approach, the model is built from the same building blocks as observed in human or animal tissue. As such, the functioning

Last updated on: 13-02-2023 - 16:45

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to perform basic and more complex suturing techniques and how to do an aseptic surgical preparation. A large part of this training proces can be performed on

Last updated on: 10-02-2023 - 16:21

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to obtain a sterile milk sample from a cow. Although training on living animals is important, a part of the training proces can be performed on a bovine

Last updated on: 10-02-2023 - 16:19

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to handle horses in a correct and safe way. Although training on living animals is indispensable, a part of the training process can be performed on equine

Last updated on: 10-02-2023 - 16:16

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to handle dogs and cats in a correct and low-stress way. Although training on living animals is indispensable, a part of the training proces can be performed

Last updated on: 10-02-2023 - 16:18

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to perform different bandaging techniques in small and large animals. Although training on living animals is important, a part of the training proces can be

Last updated on: 10-02-2023 - 16:12

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills. The veterinarians in training need to learn how to perform a basis clinical examination of a dog. Although training on living animals is indispensable, a part of the training proces can be performed on

Last updated on: 10-02-2023 - 16:14

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated
In contrast to human medicine, standard imaging techniques for cardiac interventions, namely fluoroscopy, CT and MRI, cannot be used in horses because the size of their thorax is too large for the gantry (CT and MRI) or results in insufficient detail (fluoroscopy). Therefore, echocardiography is

Last updated on: 20-09-2023 - 10:28

Contact: Ingrid Vernemmen
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development
Human Intestinal Organoids (HIOs) are in vitro 3D cell cultures arranged in a crypt-villus structure that incorporate many physiological features of the intestinal epithelium, including the presence of different cell populations (enterocytes, goblet cells, enteroendocrine and Paneth cells). HIOs can

Last updated on: 27-01-2023 - 13:29

Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We devised a simple and reliable method for reprogramming peripheral blood mononuclear cells into hiPSC and then to differentiate them into air-liquid interface bronchial epithelium (iALI) within 45 days. Of note, this method does not involve any cell sorting step. We reprogrammed blood cells from

Last updated on: 07-02-2023 - 14:46

Contact: Engi Ahmed
Organisation: VIB - UGent, IRMB INSERM 1183
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Overuse tendon injuries are a major cause of musculoskeletal morbidity in both human and equine athletes. Despite the big burden, there is no effective treatment to restore tendon’s natural composition, due to a lack of understanding of fundamental cell biology. Additionally, translation of novel

Last updated on: 17-01-2023 - 16:22

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development
Using the ex vivo culture system, we investigated the impact of an endoscopic helium plasma jet application on mouse ISCs at the morphological, cellular and transcriptomic levels. Moreover, we explored the potential selectivity of CAP application on tumor versus normal organoids originating from the

Last updated on: 09-01-2023 - 09:42

Organisation: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
This study aimed to create a versatile and reproducible in vitro model of a human motor unit with functional neuromuscular junctions (NMJs). Therefore, human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived motor neurons and human primary mesoangioblast (MAB)-derived myotubes were co-cultured in

Last updated on: 09-01-2023 - 15:13

Organisation: Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie (VIB), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Neurosciences - KU Leuven
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Myeloid progenitor cells derived from the bone marrow of mice are stimulated using a cytokine mixture to become myeloid derived suppressor cell (MDSC) like cells. These are co-cultured with activated CD8+ T-cells derived from a mouse spleen. The MDSC like cells will suppress the proliferation of the

Last updated on: 10-01-2023 - 16:48

Contact: Yani Berckmans
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Oncology - KU Leuven
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
The goal of chicken embryonic spinal cord electroporation is to increase or to reduce expression levels of genes of interest in the developing spinal cord, and to assess the phenotypic consequences of these alterations on neuronal differentiation or migration. Fertilized eggs stored at 14°C are

Last updated on: 13-12-2022 - 11:23

Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Alkaptonuria (AKU) is a rare inborn error of metabolism caused by a defective homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenase (HGD), an enzyme involved in the tyrosine degradation pathway. Loss of HGD function leads to the accumulation of homogentisic acid (HGA) in connective body tissues in a process called

Last updated on: 06-12-2023 - 14:45

Contact: Sien Lequeue
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Partners: RWTH Aachen
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
This method relates to the development of highly reproducible human iPSC-derived neurospheroids equipped with intrinsic bioluminescence for an easy and longitudinal follow-up of the viability and growth of these neurospheroids over time. The luminescent neurospheroids have been applied in ischemic

Last updated on: 02-01-2023 - 10:27

Organisation: University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Ex-vivo tissue explants (precision cut tissue slices) prepared with the Krumdieck Tissue Slicer are living, three-dimensional tissue slices closely resemble the organ from which it is prepared, with all the cell types present in their original tissue-matrix configuration where physiological and

Last updated on: 31-01-2023 - 15:52

Contact: Bella Manshian
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
This method describes the generation of porcine testicular organoids using piglet testicular cells seeded in a testicular extracellular matrix (tECM) hydrogel. To generate the solublized tECM hydrogel, porcine immature testicular tissues (ITTs) were dissected in small fragments and decellularized in

Last updated on: 04-11-2022 - 08:20

Contact: Marc Kanbar
Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The protocol is aimed at developing primary human breast organoids that have a morphology similar to the one observed in the in vivo breast. This morphology encompasses a complex network organization composed of interconnected branches that terminate in TDLU-like structures. The organoids are

Last updated on: 07-11-2022 - 11:24

Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Oncology - KU Leuven
Status: Still in development, History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
These are the general guidelines on sample input requirements to successfully start our RIBO-seq procedures: Cell lines in suspension: pellet of 10 – 50 M snap frozen cells. The pre-treatment and collection specifications are also mentioned in our pre-processing protocol. Adherent cell lines

Last updated on: 21-10-2022 - 10:33

Contact: Zarel Martinez
Organisation: OHMX.bio
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
We have developed a protocol for culturing primary neuron progenitor cells (NPCs) derived from mouse embryos at embryonic day 15 (E15). These cells are highly proliferative, can be subcultured and cryopreserved and can be differentiated to neurons or astrocytes. Hence, this method can greatly reduce

Last updated on: 20-10-2022 - 08:55

Contact: Roel Quintens
Organisation: Belgian Nuclear Research Centre
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated
The protocol is aimed at developing primary mammary gland organoids that have a morphology similar to the one of the in vivo breast, which is organized as a complex network of interconnected branches. The organoids are derived from the mouse mammary gland by mechanical dissociation and enzymatic

Last updated on: 07-11-2022 - 11:08

Organisation: Oncology - KU Leuven
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
This method is used to let cells interact for a better simulation of processes occurring in the body. The rational of the method is that monoculture experiments do not capture the complexity of in vivo interactions between different organs. In the most simple setup (published work Nutrients), Caco-2

Last updated on: 09-02-2023 - 16:37

Contact: Amar van Laar
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The mammary-specific polyomavirus middle T antigen overexpression mouse model (MMTV-PyMT) is one of the most commonly used models in the cancer research field for multiple reasons, among which the spontaneous development of multifocal luminal tumors, the early tumoral onset, and the primary tumors'

Last updated on: 07-11-2022 - 11:47

Organisation: Oncology - KU Leuven, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
ZeptoWard is a Machine Learning solution (AI) which identifies the ADMET properties of compounds. It can accurately predict over 80 properties related to absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity properties, how a specific compound or combination of compounds will perform. It can

Last updated on: 21-03-2023 - 13:34

Contact: Segolene Martin
Organisation: Kantify
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
ZeptoHit is a technology based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) which accelerates hit discovery. With only a protein sequence as information, ZeptoHit can quickly and efficiently recommend promising hits, without any limitations. Its search for promising compounds goes much beyond chemical structures

Last updated on: 21-03-2023 - 13:36

Contact: Segolene Martin
Organisation: Kantify
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
The tri-dimensional (3D) culture protocols allow isolation and culture of gastric epithelial antral and intestinal stem cells to efficiently generate organoids that recapitulate the mature pyloric and intestinal epithelium in vitro and foetal epithelial progenitors of these tissues growing as

Last updated on: 16-08-2022 - 10:57

Organisation: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
The main objective of this research project is to create the first full-thickness cornea-on-chip, which comprises a 3D construct with every cellular layer of the cornea. This construct is embedded in a microfluidic chip with two channels that are continuously perfused. The epithelial side of the

Last updated on: 27-07-2022 - 09:35

Contact: Joris Van Meenen
Organisation: University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen)
Status: Still in development
For therapeutic or reporter molecules to be effective for therapy or imaging applications, proper accumulation of the compounds in the tissue of interest is required, with minimal accumulation in undesired organs to avoid toxic side-effects and increase bioavailability. After initial in vitro

Last updated on: 09-08-2022 - 16:34

Contact: Sophie Hernot
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
Thyroid hormone system disruption (THSD) has detrimental effects on both human and environmental health. As a rising number of chemicals are reported to interfere with the thyroid hormone system, there is an increasing need for fast and reliable evaluation methods to test for THSD. Currently,

Last updated on: 27-04-2023 - 16:41

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Cannot be disclosed
Partners: Cannot be disclosed
Status: Currently submitted for further validation by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
A battery of in vitro genotoxicity assays is currently used to detect agents with DNA damaging and carcinogenic potential. Although the sensitivity of this battery of genotoxicity assays is high, the specificity is low (“false positive hit”), especially with the mammalian cell-based assay, compared

Last updated on: 11-07-2022 - 15:51

Contact: Marc Audebert
Organisation: Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRAE)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal, Currently submitted for further validation by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
DARTpaths is an an integrative app to support the prioritisation of chemicals. The Open Source R shiny application allows for the prediction of compound-induced molecular mechanisms of action. The tool integrates phenotypic endpoints of different species induced by compounds and genetic variants, in

Last updated on: 13-06-2022 - 16:04

Contact: Vera van Noort
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: Open Analytics, Hogeschool Utrecht , Vivaltes
Status: Internally validated
For the risk assessment of compounds migrating from food contact materials (FCM), information on the exposure to the migrant as well as its possible hazards is needed. To support the evaluation of both starting products and NIAS from plastic FCM, the VERMEER FCM tool has been developed within the

Last updated on: 29-11-2022 - 14:46

Organisation: Sciensano
Status: Internally validated
The CALUX® system (Chemically Actived LUciferase eXpression) of Bio Detection Systems (BDS, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) uses U-2 OS cells (human osteoblast) that are stably transfected with human TRb or human PPARg2 (BDS, Amsterdam) and a luciferase reporter construct under the control of a receptor

Last updated on: 05-05-2022 - 08:59

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Sciensano
Partners: BDS
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The purpose of the present development is to use avian MoDCs to implement a cellular platform to increase understanding of the immune responses induced by various antigens of interest (e.g. vaccine candidates) and evaluate their immunogenic potential. Considering the difficulty to work on dendritic

Last updated on: 03-02-2023 - 08:51

Contact: Fiona Ingrao
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: Still in development
Recent advances in the development of human-based in vitro models offer new tools for drug screening and mechanistic investigations of new therapeutic agents. However, there is a lack of evidence that disease models respond favourably to potential drug candidates. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a very

Last updated on: 22-04-2022 - 09:17

Contact: Christel Boudry
Organisation: straticell
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
OECD TG 249 was developed by Prof. Dr. Kristin Schirmer, from Eawag. The OECD 249 aims at assessing the acute toxicity of single or mixtures of chemicals using the permanent rainbow trout gill cell line, RTgill-W1. RTgill-W1 cells in a confluent monolayer in 24-well plates are exposed to the test

Last updated on: 30-03-2022 - 17:15

Contact: João Barbosa
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
In silico tools are computer-assisted methodologies with a high-throughput that allow to predict the toxic potential of compounds without experimental testing. Consequently, in silico tools are time-, cost- and animal-saving in nature. The most commonly used methods are (quantitative) structure

Last updated on: 24-03-2022 - 11:25

Contact: Birgit Mertens
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The ATP cell viability assay (CellTiter-Glo assay test kit) provides a quantitative measurement of the ATP content directly proportional to the number of cells present in culture. The homogeneous assay procedure involves adding one single reagent, CellTiter-Glo Reagent directly to cells cultured in

Last updated on: 24-03-2022 - 11:20

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
We developed a high-throughput live-cell imaging-based organoid analysis platform, Organoid Brightfield Identification-based Therapy Screening (Orbits), that allows for kinetic monitoring of organoid growth and drug responses in routine extracellular matrix domes, high-throughput 384-well

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 13:59

Contact: Christophe Deben
Organisation: University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen)
Status: Internally validated
Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship modeling is generally used to construct models in which molecular descriptors of chemical compounds are used to predict endpoints/activities of interest. Commercial packages are available that can be implemented, but new models can be constructed if

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 13:49

Contact: Geert Verheyen
Organisation: Thomas More University of Applied Sciences
Status: Still in development, History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
The multiplex immunoassay is based on the Luminex technology and allows the detection of diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis antigens of human combined vaccines in the same run. As potency test of these vaccines are currently performed on animal through challenge and/or serological assays,

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 09:19

Contact: Maxime Vermeulen
Organisation: Sciensano
Partners: VAC2VAC
Status: Still in development
Maaike Vercauteren developed the innovative in vitro 'two-chamber skin explant model'. Pieces of skin are kept and examined in a controlled laboratory environment. This is no sinecure, because the skin must continue to function as if it were still attached to the fish. However, the tested setup

Last updated on: 22-02-2022 - 15:13

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Instituut voor Landbouw-, Visserij- en Voedingsonderzoek (ILVO), Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated
By using in vitro co-cultures of immune cells and lung tumor cells, we can study and evaluate the immune-activating and/or anti anti-tumor properties of certain treatments. Tumor cell proliferation can be studied with live-cell imaging instruments (IncuCyte, EVOS, ...) and the occurrence of immune

Last updated on: 21-02-2022 - 15:03

Contact: Eline Berghmans
Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The in vitro rumen fermentation technique is used to simulate the rumen function/fermentation. The rumen is the first compartment of the digestive tract of ruminants, in which feed - consumed by ruminants - is fermented by rumen microbes. For optimal fermentation, the rumen provides an anaerobic

Last updated on: 14-10-2022 - 11:37

Contact: Veerle Fievez
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
A set of protocols to combine the widely used Caco-2 cell line with digests from in vitro digestion models (small intestine, colon) to study toxicity, intestinal barrier integrity, bioavailability and, when combined with other cell models (immune, liver, endothelium), bioactivity of food related

Last updated on: 18-02-2022 - 08:42

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
Using respirometry (oxygen and pH, XF96 Analyzer), computer assisted cell analysis, and specific substrates and stressors, mitochondrial function and metabolic changes in a diverse set of cell lines can be measured. Relevant to study substrate preferences, acute and chronic effects of toxic

Last updated on: 15-02-2022 - 15:31

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
Spheroids are three-dimensional cellular models with widespread basic and translational application across academia and industry. However, methodological transparency and guidelines for spheroid research have not yet been established. The MISpheroID Consortium developed a crowdsourcing knowledgebase

Last updated on: 11-02-2022 - 10:29

Contact: Olivier De Wever
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Fever-inducing substances need to be traced in medical packaging material. To do so, in the past, rabbits were often exposed to these substances. Causing enormous amounts of animal suffering. Nowadays this test has been largely replaced by the so-called LAL (Limulus amebocyte lysate) test, which

Last updated on: 09-02-2022 - 16:11

Contact: Eddy-Tim Verjans
Organisation: CellSine
Status: Still in development
The lack of a continuous in vitro culture system for P. vivax has made it impossible to genetically engineer P. vivax for mechanistic research studies. One alternative that is being used is the infection of non-human primates, however this is restricted to few laboratories across the world. An

Last updated on: 08-02-2022 - 14:04

Organisation: Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp
Partners: Royal Veterinary College
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Reflex tests on fish which are used to determine the stress state and survival rate after discards must be correctly conducted and interpreted, and therefore require training. Thanks to ILVO research on the use of video and crowdsourcing (product improvement based on the knowledge and skills of

Last updated on: 07-02-2022 - 09:25

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Instituut voor Landbouw-, Visserij- en Voedingsonderzoek (ILVO), NOAA
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
In the early phases of the design cycle of structural heart devices, choosing which prototype to develop can be complicated. There are a lot of unknowns to contend with. FEops’ simulation technology helps fill in these blanks. It gives product developers computational simulations that let them

Last updated on: 01-02-2022 - 13:17

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: FEops
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Advances in cell culture methods allowed 3D culture of gut epithelial cells derived from adult intestinal epithelial stem cells in mice and humans. We show that starting from crypts cultured in an extracellular matrix hydrogel together with essential growth factors, gut organoids can be grown from

Last updated on: 20-01-2022 - 16:14

Contact: Bert Devriendt
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
Lung cancer thrives in a complex multicellular tumor microenvironment (TME) that impacts tumor growth, metastasis, response, and resistance to therapy. While orthotopic murine lung cancer models can partly recapitulate this complexity, they do not resonate with high-throughput immunotherapeutic drug

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 14:53

Contact: Cleo Goyvaerts
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Partners: Institut Curie
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Advances in three-dimensional (3D) culture techniques have shown several advantages over 2D cultures, especially by more accurately mimicking the in vivo environment. This has led to improved reproducibility and reliability of experimental results, which are important criteria in disease modelling

Last updated on: 14-10-2021 - 16:59

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
The tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) is one of the most toxic proteins known to man, which prior to the use of the vaccine against the TeNT producing bacteria Clostridium tetani, resulted in a 20% mortality rate upon infection. The clinical detrimental effects of tetanus have decreased immensely since the

Last updated on: 22-03-2022 - 16:49

Contact: Celine Vanhee
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We aimed to optimize fibrin matrix composition in order to mimic human ovarian tissue architecture for human ovarian follicle encapsulation and grafting. Ultrastructure of fresh human ovarian cortex in age-related women (n = 3) and different fibrin formulations (F12.5/T1, F30/T50, F50/T50, F75/T75),

Last updated on: 10-09-2021 - 14:18

Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Quantum Dots (QDs) have been hypothesized as potential probes for the optical monitoring of electrogenic cell activity given their high optical absorption cross-sections compared to organic fluorophores, high brightness and low photobleaching. Despite the theoretical predictions, less than a handful

Last updated on: 04-08-2021 - 16:50

Contact: Stijn Jooken
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The response of sublingual epithelial cells to house dust mite allergen and potential tolerance-promoting adjuvants such as Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands and calcitriol was investigated using primary sublingual epithelial cells isolated from dogs and cultured in vitro. After 24-h incubation with

Last updated on: 07-04-2021 - 14:52

Contact: Eric Cox
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The method is described in detail in OECD TG 439 as SkinEthicTM RHE and provides an in vitro procedure that may be used for the hazard identification of irritant chemicals (substances and mixtures) in accordance with the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling (UN

Last updated on: 11-03-2021 - 19:17

Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Status: Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
We used a 7-stage protocol to generate beta cells from human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSC) and evaluated whether these cells are responsive to the pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFNγ, IL-1β, or IFNα) that play a role in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Our data show that human iPSC-derived beta cells

Last updated on: 09-03-2021 - 21:30

Contact: Decio L. Eizirik
Organisation: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
This method has been described in detail in OECD TG 431 and allows the identification of non-corrosive and corrosive substances and mixtures in accordance with the UN GHS. This method further supports the sub-categorisation of corrosive substances and mixtures into optional Subcategory 1A, in

Last updated on: 04-03-2021 - 16:15

Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Status: Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
Four validated test methods using commercially available RhCE models are included in this Test Guideline 492. Here we focus on the SkinEthic Human Corneal Epithelium (HCE) Eye Irritation Test (EIT). It is an in vitro procedure allowing the identification of chemicals (substances and mixtures) not

Last updated on: 04-03-2021 - 16:19

Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Status: Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
The ERα CALUX transactivation assay is described in Annex 4 of the OECD TG 455. It uses the human U2OS cell line to detect estrogenic agonist and antagonist activity mediated through human estrogen receptor alpha (hERα).This test method is specifically designed to detect hERα-mediated

Last updated on: 04-03-2021 - 16:33

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Status: Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
This is a mathematical compartmental formulation of dose-effect synergy modelling for multiple therapies in Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC): antiangiogenic, immuno- and radiotherapy. The model formulates the dose-effect relationship in a unified context, with tumor proliferating rates and

Last updated on: 01-02-2021 - 14:32

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We have established organoids from mouse pituitary with the aim to generate a novel research model to study pituitary stem cell biology in both healthy and diseased glands. The organoids originated from the pituitary cells expressing the stem cell marker SOX2, were long-term expandable, displayed a

Last updated on: 28-01-2021 - 11:08

Contact: Hugo Vankelecom
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We have established organoid cultures from patient-derived ovarian cancer (OC), in particular from the most prevalent high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). Testing multiple culture medium components identified neuregulin-1 (NRG1) as key factor in maximizing OC organoid development and growth,

Last updated on: 28-01-2021 - 11:08

Contact: Hugo Vankelecom
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We have developed multiple organoid models from a broad spectrum of endometrial pathologies that capture endometrial disease diversity and will provide powerful research models and drug screening and discovery tools. Organoids from endometriosis show disease-associated traits and cancer-linked

Last updated on: 28-01-2021 - 11:08

Contact: Hugo Vankelecom
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Experiments were conducted using human induced pluripotent stem cells supplemented with hiPSC derived astrocytes and their reagents can be obtained commercially and cultured as per manufacturer’s instructions. One day before plating the cells, each 48-well MEA plate was pre-coated with a

Last updated on: 26-01-2021 - 17:27

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Janssen Pharma of JNJ
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
Experiments were conducted using cortical cells that contains glutamatergic and gabaergic neurons and glia. Primary neurons were freshly dissociated from embryonic E18-19 rat cortices as described previously and plated onto 48-well MEA plates (Maestro system, Axion Biosystems). HOne day before

Last updated on: 26-01-2021 - 17:27

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Janssen Pharma of JNJ
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
In vitro differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) or inducible pluripotent stem cells (IPS) to megakaryocytes and platelets using specific differentiation conditions (liquid and 3D media). CRISPR/cas mutagenesis of HSC or IPS to study the effect of gene depletion or specific mutants on

Last updated on: 26-05-2022 - 10:41

Contact: Kathleen Freson
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
The method has been fully described in OECD TG 236 and is intended to determine the acute or lethal toxicity of chemicals on embryonic stages of fish (Danio rerio). Newly fertilized zebrafish eggs are exposed to the test chemical for a period of 96 hrs. Every 24 hrs. Twenty embryos (one embryo per

Last updated on: 04-03-2021 - 16:29

Contact: Hilda Witters
Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
The Bovine Corneal Opacity and Permeability test method (BCOP) has been fully described in OECD TG 437. It is an in vitro test method that can be used to identify chemicals (substances or mixtures) as either 1) causing “serious eye damage” (category 1 of the Globally Harmonised System for the

Last updated on: 04-03-2021 - 16:26

Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Status: Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
We developed a cellular automata model of oncolytic virotherapy with an application to pancreatic cancer. The fundamental biomedical processes (like cell proliferation, mutation, apoptosis) are modelled by the use of probabilistic principles. The migration of injected viruses (as therapy) is

Last updated on: 07-01-2021 - 21:34

Contact: Fred Vermolen
Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt), Delft University of Technology
Partners: Delft University of Technology, Technion
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We developed an innovative model to study the effect of the supernumerary X chromosome on KS features. The model was generated using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from patients with Klinefelter syndrome (KS) i.e. with a 47, XXY karyotype. In order to compare the potentials of both 47XXY

Last updated on: 07-01-2021 - 21:23

Contact: Christine Wyns
Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Partners: Geneva University Hospitals
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We tissue-engineer in vitro, skeletal muscle consisting of aligned myofibers. To create the so-called bio-artificial muscle (BAM), human muscle progenitor cells are expanded, and a 3D construct is created by mixing the cells with a hydrogel. The cell-gel mix is cast into custom-made silicone molds

Last updated on: 08-12-2020 - 17:46

Contact: Lieven Thorrez
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We established a protocol to efficiently generate hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) from human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Our procedure generated complex in vitro spheroid cultures that better mimic the complexity of the liver as well as liver function. In co-culture, iPSC-HSCs promote maintenance

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 14:49

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Partners: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
An artificial dog with real skeleton to excercise positioning for radiographic examination and palpation.

Last updated on: 25-07-2022 - 09:53

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated
In this method, we use rabbit monoclonal antibodies that are produced in vitro to identify xenografted human stem cell-derived hepatocytes in frozen murine liver slices. These recombinant antibodies were produced in vitro by cloning antibody genes for immune-specific heavy and light antibody chains

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:02

Contact: Joery De Kock
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
The CALUX method is an in vitro bioassay that uses reporter gene cell lines that have been stably transfected with a luciferase reporter gene under the control of relevant receptor specific DNA response element. This enables the screening for chemicals that can bind to specific receptors and

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 14:47

Contact: Imke Boonen
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Alkaline comet assay (COM) and Micronucleus test (MN) are well-established cytogenetic tests that are used to detect both immediate damages i.e. DNA fragmentation, and permanent damage which results in micronuclei formation. These techniques are often applied separately or, sometimes, in combination

Last updated on: 18-02-2022 - 16:42

Contact: Ha Nguyen
Organisation: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Sciensano
Partners: University of Liège (ULiège)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
Metabolomics and 13C tracer analysis are state-of-the-art techniques that allow determining the concentration of metabolites and the activity of metabolic pathways, respectively. Three dimensional (3D) cultures of cancer cells constitute an enriched in vitro environment that can be used to assay

Last updated on: 31-08-2023 - 17:12

Contact: Dorien Broekaert
Organisation: VIB - KU Leuven, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) deficiency plays a pivotal role in aneurysm development. Unfortunately, access to native VSMCs of patients and (particularly) control individuals is extremely limited. It has been shown that iPSC-derived VSMCs recapitulate the yet known disease processes very well.

Last updated on: 03-06-2020 - 13:51

Organisation: University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen)
Status: Still in development, Internally validated
Cardiomyocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC-CMs) offer an attractive platform for cardiovascular research, including disease modeling, drug toxicity testing and development of regenerative therapies. Patient-specific iPSC-CMs are very useful to study disease pathogenesis and

Last updated on: 30-06-2020 - 14:13

Contact: Maaike Alaerts
Organisation: University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen)
Status: Still in development, Internally validated
Intestinal organoids are cultured from intestinal biopsies obtained during routine endoscopy. The stem cell containing crypts are isolated and cultured in a 3D ECM (Matrigel) in the presence of the desired growth factors. The present stem cells will expand and give rise to all epithelial cells of

Last updated on: 11-01-2023 - 16:43

Contact: Bram Verstockt
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
This method is a straightforward, colorimetric, and inexpensive high-throughput screening system in bacteria which depends on the activity of human HPD. This screening assay is based on the formation and accumulation of a melanin-like ochronotic pigment which has a characteristic brown color. In the

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:01

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), RWTH Aachen
Partners: RWTH Aachen
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Amoebae are natural eukaryotic predators of bacteria, yeasts, fungi and they are ubiquiste. They are excellent and easy-to-use cellular infection models, as they allow to co-cultivate any organisms in a broad range of infection medium, compatible with high quality microscopy techniques,

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 14:45

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
A calculated number of bacteria is injected through the pro-legs of the larvae. As several entry points are present, this allows to inject virulent bacteria and potential antimicrobial compounds within the same host. The survival of the larvae is scored over time (days post inoculation) until about

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 14:43

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Reverse pharmacology is a high-throughput in vitro method to characterise ligand-receptor interactions. In this method, a receptor of interest is expressed in a heterologous cell line and used as a hook to fish out its ligand(s) from a library of synthetic compounds. Receptor activation is measured

Last updated on: 17-04-2020 - 09:56

Contact: Isabel Beets
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans provides a powerful model system to study fundamental working mechanisms of the nervous system in a living animal. It's main advantages are its compact nervous system that has been fully mapped, its short generation time and amenability for genetic research. As a

Last updated on: 17-04-2020 - 09:55

Contact: Isabel Beets
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is being applied to characterize the fluid flow in different applications. CFD has obtained significant interest in both the medical and engineering community because of its non-invasive character. It can predict the fluid flow characteristics when one or multiple

Last updated on: 10-04-2020 - 09:22

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
Performing biopredictive dissolution tests in in vitro models that are frequently used in pharmaceutical and academic institutions and using these in vitro dissolution data as input for PBPK models to predict the systemic exposure of the drug in humans/patients.

Last updated on: 08-04-2020 - 17:29

Contact: Bart Hens
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We study the influence of food parameters on the digestive kinetics of diverse nutrients throughout the upper gastrointestinal tract. For this, we use a static in vitro digestion protocol based on the standardized, consensus method recommended by the INFOGEST consortium. Briefly, the food is first

Last updated on: 31-03-2020 - 21:01

Contact: Tara Grauwet
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: INFOGEST consortium
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Isolation Femoral and tibial bones are isolated from 10-12 weeks old C57BL/6J mice. After cutting the bone's ends, the bone marrow is flushed out using a 23G syringe with PBS into a 50ml falcon tube. After centrifugation cells are re-suspended in FCS (0.5ml/mouse leg). Differentiation 0.5ml of the

Last updated on: 14-08-2020 - 15:26

Contact: Jerome Hendriks
Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
The objective of this ex-vivo model is to study the initial pulp-tissue reaction of the human pulp tissue to different pulp-capping materials. Methodology: Freshly-extracted (mainly due to orthodontic reasons) healthy human teeth (impacted third molars) from young individuals (15-20 years old)

Last updated on: 24-03-2020 - 16:32

Contact: Mariano Pedano
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: Aix-Marseille University
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Retinal gene delivery via intravitreal injection is hampered by various physiological barriers present in the eye of which the vitreoretinal (VR) interface represents the most serious hurdle. We present a retinal explant model especially designed to study the role of this interface as a barrier for

Last updated on: 24-03-2020 - 16:26

Contact: Katrien Remaut
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Mononuclear cells are flushed from the bone marrow using a 25G needle. After centrifugation, the cells are resuspended in 50mL pre-heated DMEM containing 20ng/ml M-CSF. The cells are cultured in 10cm petri dishes for 7 days. At days 2,4 and 6, the medium is renewed after washing away non-adherent

Last updated on: 10-03-2020 - 10:17

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Partners: Ghent University hospital (UZ Gent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Most of the current rigid-body models of the complete thoracolumbar spine do not properly model the intervertebral joint as the highly nonlinear stiffness is not incorporated comprehensively and the effects of compressive load on stiffness are commonly being neglected. Based on published in vitro

Last updated on: 19-03-2020 - 11:07

Contact: Wei Wang
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The method is an approach to systematically study the impact of the nutrient microenvironment on the metabolism of effector CD8+ T cells, based on performing stable 13C isotope labeling measurements on in vitro-differentiated murine effector CD8+ T cells. Naive CD8+ T cells are isolated from mouse

Last updated on: 31-08-2023 - 17:12

Contact: Dorien Broekaert
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), VIB - KU Leuven
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Organotypic epithelial raft cultures accurately reproduce the process of epithelial differentiation in vitro and can be prepared from normal keratinocytes, explanted epithelial tissue, or established cell lines. Normal primary human keratinocytes (PHKs) stratify and fully differentiate in a manner

Last updated on: 04-03-2020 - 14:34

Contact: Graciela Andrei
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Since adult zebrafish retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) can fully regenerate upon axonal injury, these neurons form the ideal subject to study what is driving the recovery process. The use of an adult zebrafish retinal cell culture in a microfluidic set-up enables to create a neuronal network, mimicking

Last updated on: 02-03-2020 - 16:01

Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development
We use stem cell-derived sensory neurons and via a small molecule-based protocol (Young et al, 2014) we derive them into human sensory neurons with a nociceptor phenotype (express somatosensory ion channels).

Last updated on: 28-02-2020 - 10:49

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Cannot be disclosed
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
Prebiotics are used by the gut microbiota creating metabolites that exert a positive effect on the host (postbiotics). Prebiotics are available on the market for human and animal consumption and may induce differential effects on the host's health and metabolism. They can be tested by in vitro

Last updated on: 16-07-2020 - 15:02

Contact: Nadia Everaert
Organisation: University of Liège (ULiège)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
This is a method to study host-microbe interaction in the upper respiratory tract. A physiologically representative epithelial structure, with mucin producing and ciliated cells, is obtained by culturing respiratory epithelial cells at air-liquid interface in Transwell inserts. Optionally,

Last updated on: 28-02-2020 - 10:51

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Cell line which is commonly used to study biological processes in mouse macrophages. It is a macrophage-like cell line derived from BALB/c mice.

Last updated on: 25-02-2020 - 23:58

Contact: Jerome Hendriks
Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: History of use
Organotypical culture models, such as retinal explants, is an ideal alternative for in vitro retinal cell cultures and preclinical animal models, as they provide the necessary compromise between these two model systems. The major advantage of explant cultures is that cells are kept within their

Last updated on: 21-02-2020 - 14:51

Contact: Evy Lefevere
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
We propose to generate three-dimensional tumoroids from the primary melanoma cell lines, as well as 3D organoids from the iPSc-derived neural crest stem cells. We will use the AggreWell system (STEMCELL Technologies) to generate uniform, size-controlled three-dimensional spheroids. After 5 days in

Last updated on: 25-02-2020 - 23:58

Organisation: VIB - KU Leuven
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Brain from treated and not treated mice is collected after death. Tissue is fixed in 4% PFA for 4 days. After specific cutting (ex. L and R hemisphere) tissue is placed in a cassette. Cassette is placed in Tissue Processor (where water from the tissue is removed and replaced with paraffin). Brain is

Last updated on: 04-03-2020 - 14:20

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
We have developed and validated yeast models to study aspects related to protein folding diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. These models allow to gain further insight in the cellular processes involved in the etiology of these disorders and as such identify potential new bio-markers

Last updated on: 11-02-2020 - 11:17

Contact: Joris Winderickx
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Patient-derived explants of prostate cancer provide an ex vivo model that retains the architecture and microenvironment of the native tissue. It enables the evaluation of drug responses on individual patient’s tumors ex vivo without passaging in animals. It is compatible with all molecular analysis

Last updated on: 07-02-2020 - 15:55

Contact: Johan Swinnen
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: University of Adelaide
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is a form of isolated lung perfusion in normothermic conditions and can be achieved with a pump-driven perfusion machine that recirculates a preservation solution through the vasculature of the lung in addition to mechanical ventilation. EVLP is based on a physiological

Last updated on: 07-02-2020 - 15:50

Contact: Arne Neyrinck
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Characterization of Human Oligodendroglia derived-EV-rich in sHSPs (HOG-EV-sHSPs). Establish HSPB1/B8 stably expressing cell lines for the production of sHSPs rich-EV cell culture conditioned medium. Human Oligodendroglia cell lines (HOG) were stably transduced with pLenti-HSPBs gene constructs

Last updated on: 14-08-2020 - 15:22

Contact: Joy Irobi
Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: Still in development, Internally validated, Currently submitted for further validation by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
The method enables to quantitatively assess the invasion of endothelial cells in extracellular-matrix mimicking hydrogels, such as collagen or polyethylene glycol, and to measure the forces exerted by the cells that enable them to invade. Endothelial cells are seeded on the side of a hydrogel and

Last updated on: 11-02-2020 - 08:55

Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We have developed an innovative two-chamber skin explant model specifically for studies involving skin of marine fish. An apparatus was 3D-printed and consists of two plates, a lower and upper plate (with funnel). By mounting the explant between the plates, two chambers can be created with the

Last updated on: 04-02-2020 - 13:31

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent), University of Liège (ULiège)
Status: Internally validated
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) are isolated from the peripheral blood using Ficoll gradient centrifugation. The PBMC are then stained with fluorescently-labelled monoclonal antibodies directed against cell surface or intracellular proteins that can be used to identify specific immune cell

Last updated on: 03-03-2020 - 11:46

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The GIDM-colon is a validated in vitro model that allows the study of the availability of compounds and the metabolisation at the level of the colon. The human physiological conditions of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, small intestine and colon) are mimicked. The continiuous flow eliminates

Last updated on: 03-02-2020 - 08:44

Organisation: University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
This white-box model uses energy partitioning throughout the lifetime of dairy animals (growth, lactation, gestation, ...) to simulate reproduction performance, lifetime length, production performance etc. The method is developed by dr. Olivier Martin at INRAE, MoSAR, Paris.

Last updated on: 04-03-2020 - 14:23

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Cannot be disclosed
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
The feed undergoes an in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis simulating the digestion in the upper digestive tract followed by a dialysis mimicking the intestinal absorption. Finally, an in vitro batch fermentation is performed and simulates the fermentation occurring in the hindgut. The ingredients, ground

Last updated on: 16-07-2020 - 15:04

Contact: Nadia Everaert
Organisation: University of Liège (ULiège)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
MELN cells [provided by INSERM, Montpellier, FR; Balaguer et al. (1999)] are oestrogen-sensitive human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) stably transfected with the oestrogen-responsive gene (ERE-βGlo-Luc-SVNeo) carried by integrated plasmids. A standard set-up has been developed to expose MELN cells

Last updated on: 28-01-2020 - 16:39

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
The rainbow trout gill cell line assay quantifies cell viability using fluorescent measurements for metabolic activity (Alamar Blue, AB), cell membrane integrity (5-CarboxyFluorescein DiAcetate AcetoxyMethyl ester, CFDA-AM) and lysosomal membrane integrity (Neutral Red, NR). Chemicals are added to

Last updated on: 20-01-2020 - 10:26

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Partners: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
We describe a fluorescent cell-based in vitro infection model that reproduces host-Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) interactions. Using the epithelial cell line A6 from Xenopus laevis, we reproduced different stages of host cell infection and intracellular growth of Bd, resulting in host cell

Last updated on: 10-01-2020 - 15:28

Contact: Elin Verbrugghe
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
We have successfully set-up the iPSC technology and are able to derive human cortical neurons for the study of neurodevelopmental disorders e.g. the MECP2 duplication syndrome (published) and other projects in the lab (ongoing). We also create isogenic lines using CrispR-Cas technology. All lines

Last updated on: 07-01-2020 - 15:23

Contact: Hilde Van Esch
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
Identifying drug-target interactions is a crucial step in drug repositioning, the process of suggesting new indications for known drugs. There are about 9000 FDA-approved and experimental small molecule drugs and more than 500.000 protein records available. Performing in vitro experiments would be

Last updated on: 06-01-2020 - 17:04

Contact: Daniele Parisi
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: Biotech/TU-Dresden, Max-Planck-Institut für Informatik Saarbrucken
Status: Still in development
In order to find a solution for the center-weighted opacity reading associated with the OP-KIT opacitometer, a prototype of a laser light-based opacitometer (PLLBO) allowing better measurement of opacities was developed (Van Goethem et al., 2010; Annex 1). The technical optimization and optical

Last updated on: 04-03-2021 - 16:05

Contact: An Van Rompay
Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Status: Currently submitted for further validation by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
In view of safety of pregnant women, a promising in vitro zebrafish embryo developmental toxicity assay has been developed to test pharmaceutical and chemical compounds for their teratogenic potential. The protocol deals with exposing zebrafish embryos to a range of compound concentrations at 28°C

Last updated on: 06-01-2020 - 16:55

Organisation: University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen)
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
The ex-vivo endothelium-stent contact model allows measuring the impact of implants on the arterial tissue. The endothelium is directly exposed by inserting a wire made of the investigated material into the lumen of the aortic ring to mimic the contact between the coronary stent and the endothelium.

Last updated on: 03-12-2019 - 17:23

Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Partners: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: Internally validated
The cytokinesis-block micronucleus method allows assessing the presence of DNA damage at the chromosome level. It is an essential part of toxicology, because mutation is a crucial event in carcinogenesis. The capacity of inhaled particles to induce irreversible mutations in type II lung epithelial

Last updated on: 26-11-2019 - 17:35

Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
The hemolysis assay remarkably predicts the inflammatory potential of inhaled particles. The capacity of particles to damage cellular membranes is a key property to predict their inflammatory potential upon inhalation. In macrophages and epithelial cells exposed to particles, alteration of the

Last updated on: 15-11-2019 - 16:15

Contact: Dominique Lison
Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Worldwide, outdoor air pollution is responsible for 4.2 million premature deaths per year. Both chronic and acute exposure to particulate matter air pollution is a risk factor for heart and lung diseases. One of the atmospheric pollutant particles is represented by soot or black carbon (BC)

Last updated on: 15-11-2019 - 16:16

Contact: Eva Bongaerts
Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Partners: University of Hasselt (UHasselt), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
TEM, NTA and western blot were used to characterize the purified inflammation‐associated EV subpopulations from TNF-α treated HUVEC based on their sedimentation speeds (10K and110K) and surface markers (CDs and ICAM-1). Protein arrays were used to discover the immunomodulatory content of

Last updated on: 14-11-2019 - 14:02

Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal, Currently submitted for further validation by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
Epigenetics have taken centre stage in the study of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and neurodegeneration. A new field is emerging that targets epigenetic modifications for therapeutic intervention: pharmacoepigenetics. Particularly in oncology, inhibitors of epigenetic-modifying proteins, i.e.

Last updated on: 12-11-2019 - 11:34

Contact: Maarten Dhaenens
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Still in development, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
This method provides a rapid untargeted screening metabolomics method, which can be used to evaluate whether or not metabolic changes can be appointed according to the metabolic state in your matrix of choice. It applies an ambient ionization technique in which a laser beam or diathermy probe is

Last updated on: 31-03-2022 - 15:31

Contact: Lynn Vanhaecke
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
The aim of these in vitro digestions is to simulate the gastrointestinal digestion of specific food sources and to identify metabolites that might be formed out of this food source by the residing microbiome. For this purpose, fecal samples will be collected from volunteers and will be prepared as

Last updated on: 12-11-2019 - 10:56

Contact: Lynn Vanhaecke
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
It is the goal of the DNA-adductomics to search for DNA-adducts that might be formed during interaction with contaminants. The analysis of DNA adducts is performed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry. Both the

Last updated on: 12-11-2019 - 11:16

Contact: Lynn Vanhaecke
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Our lipidomics profiling and fingerprinting methodology enables the analysis of all lipids within a biological matrix. These lipids can then be compared between an individual or condition with a specific metabolic state and healthy controls to find biomarkers or pathways that can be related to

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 14:12

Contact: Lynn Vanhaecke
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Our polar metabolomics profiling and fingerprinting methodology applies ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap high resolution mass spectrometry. Both the instrumental method, as well as generic extraction protocols for colon tissue, cell cultures, urine,

Last updated on: 12-11-2019 - 11:13

Contact: Lynn Vanhaecke
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Aortic aneurysms consist of a localized dilatation of the aorta resulting from compromised structural integrity and are characterized by a diameter increase of at least 50% compared to a reference diameter. When left untreated, aneurysms tend to progressively enlarge, with an increased risk of

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 14:11

Contact: Nele Famaey
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
Design and fabrication of microfluidic devices that allow manipulation and analysis of (single) cells. Droplet-based as well as digital microfluidics can be applied and are suitable for a wide variety of (non-adherent) cells. Different materials can be used for the fabrication of the microfluidic

Last updated on: 10-03-2020 - 14:54

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
Studying spermatogenesis in situ has led to the understanding that the 3D reorganization of testicular cells into an interstitial and tubular compartment is of enormous importance for germ cell differentiation. We will rely on 3D bioprinting technology which gives control over cell deposition and

Last updated on: 06-10-2022 - 14:11

Contact: Guillaume Richer
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development, Published in peer reviewed journal
VITO can offer expertise in animal-free methods for inhalation testing. VITO has an Air-Liquid Interface (ALI) platform with three ALI exposure modules: two commercial systems for bronchial studies and one in-house developed system for lower airway studies. At VITO ALI exposure modules, aerosol

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 14:08

Organisation: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Partners: Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Cells are treated with compounds and after a specific incubation time the MTT reagent is added. In living cells, the MTT is reduced to the purple formazan. The amount of formazan is related to the amount of living cells. Next, the medium and MTT reagent are aspirated and DMSO is added after which

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 14:06

Contact: Yorick Janssens
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Transport kinetics accross the skin and/or mucosa is investigated using Franz diffusion cells and LC-UV/MS detection of the investigated molecule in the receptor compartment.

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 14:05

Contact: Yorick Janssens
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
This work will be based on data describing the rat hindlimb kinematics obtained by X-Ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology (XROMM) and ground reaction forces following destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) and running. These data will be analyzed with multi-body dynamics to estimate the

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 14:02

Contact: Judith Piet
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development
A compound of interest (e.g. new psychoactive substance, endocrine disrupting compound, ...) is incubated with human liver microsomes and liver cytosolic fractions to generate both Phase I and II metabolites. Samples are prepared for analysis using a simple method in order to avoid possible losses

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 14:01

Organisation: University of Antwerp (UAntwerpen)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Follicle Biology Laboratory has developed a well characterized and standardized MOUSE in vitro follicle culture (IFC) system. In this system, early stage ovarian follicles are cultured in vitro under physiological hormone concentrations up to fertilizable and developmentally competent mature oocytes

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 14:32

Contact: Ellen Anckaert
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Three-dimensional (3D) lung epithelial cell models mimic key aspects of the parental tissue, including apical-basolateral polarity and barrier function (Barrila et al. 2010, PMID: 20948552). These 3D cultures are generated using the rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactor system, allowing host cells

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:59

Contact: Aurélie Crabbé
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The Galleria mellonella assay makes use of larvae of the Greater Wax Moth. G. mellonella larvae are injected with a small amount of microorganisms, and survival can easily be followed for up to 1 week. This allows to compare virulence between different organisms. Alternatively, after injection of

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:58

Contact: Tom Coenye
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The C. elegans assay can be used to study the virulence of various microorganisms, and can be used to evaluate the antimicrobial effect of drugs or drug candidates. The two main outcome parameters are (i) survival of C. elegans and (ii) microbial load.

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:57

Contact: Tom Coenye
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
ProDigest's short-term colonic simulation is an in vitro model for rapid screening of the interaction between test products and the gut microbiome. The key microbial saccharolytic and proteolytic markers are analysed as well as evolution in the composition of the microbiome and other endpoints as

Last updated on: 17-04-2023 - 13:22

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: ProDigest
Partners: ProDigest
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Hyper Polarized (HP) MR allows to considerably increase the sensitivity (>10.000) of MR spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging. The hyperpolarized molecule can be injected at room temperature to a cell system or an in vivo model and its metabolism can be followed over a few minutes.The technique

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:56

Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The BALB/c-derived - 4T1 mammary tumor cell line and RAW264.7 macrophage cell line were maintained in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% heat-inactivated fetal bovine serum (FBS), 100 U/ml penicillin and 100 μg/ml streptomycin in culture flasks. Harvesting of cultured

Last updated on: 26-11-2019 - 13:12

Contact: Kristel Demeyere
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
This method evaluates sprouting propensity of endothelial cells in a collagen matrix. The effect of pro-angiogenic growth factors or co-cultured cells can be measured by quantifying the amount of vascular sprouts that form on endothelial spheroids. Endothelial spheroids are obtained by growing

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:47

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated
HR MAS analysis of intact tissues consists in the metabolic profiling of entire tumor biopsies using high resolution NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) using 1H and/or 13C MRS (magnetic resonance spectroscopy). The technique allows combination of metabolomic data with genomic or proteomic data, and

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:39

Organisation: Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
In this method, it is possible to use active/viable animal or human brain slices / cells (normal or disease model) to study the effects of different drugs on brain cells (neuron or glia) in diverse brain region.

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 14:28

Contact: Surajit Sahu
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
Prototyping and replication (small series production) of microfluidic or optofluidic devices, in thermoplastic polymers or in glass. 3D nanoprinting is also available to produce microscaffolds, possibly within microfluidic channels.

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 14:25

Contact: Jürgen Van Erps
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Sandwich-cultured hepatocytes are exposed to test compounds (e.g. drug candidates) or known hepatotoxicants (as controls) both in the absence and in the presence of a mixture of physiologically relevant bile acids. After 24h, decreased hepatocyte viability and functionality in the presence of bile

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:35

Contact: Pieter Annaert
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
This method is used to monitor cardiac cell cultures in vitro. It can be used for monitoring both cell activity and drug-induced cardiac side-effects for primary cardiomyocytes or hIPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Unlike conventional microelectrode array systems that only measure the local field

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:34

Contact: Thomas Pauwelyn
Organisation: Interuniversitair Micro-Electronica Centrum (IMEC)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
Recent improvements on the structural aspects of organ-on-chips pave the way towards a large-scale application. As such soon the number of read-out instruments that are in operation in parallel will need to drastically increase. Unfortunately, standard read-out equipment is bulky, complex and

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 14:23

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development
Despite major advances in our understanding of neurodegenerative disorders, no efficient therapies are available for patients with dementia, motor neuron disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. With the advent of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) it now becomes possible to better model human

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:32

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development, Internally validated
We developed in vitro models to study liver disease, such as liver inflammation and fibrosis, as seen in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH); or hepatitis viral infection; or to enhance our ability to detect drugs that cause acute or repeat dose drug induced

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:32

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) is a highly vascularized membrane which results from the fusion of two extra-embryonic membranes, namely the chorion and the allantois. The CAM is easily accessible for manipulation and imaging, but methodologies differ whether the chicken embryo stays within its

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:27

Contact: Hanna Tay
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated
Better understanding of molecular mechanisms controlling both normal and malignant human hematopoiesis will lead to a more efficient therapy of immune deficiencies and lymphoid leukemias. Therefore, human hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) are differentiated in vitro towards distinct

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:21

Contact: Tom Taghon
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
With a one vessel fermentor (BioFlo 110, New Brunswick), an in vitro simulation of a certain part of the gastrointestinal tract (e.g. cecum, colon) is performed. In this fermentation system, physiological gut parameters (pH, temperature) are kept constant, while chemico-physical characteristics of

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:20

Contact: Marc Heyndrickx
Organisation: Instituut voor Landbouw-, Visserij- en Voedingsonderzoek (ILVO)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
This method describes the steps from a living mouse to a multi-cellular brain slice model where complex cellular interactions can be evaluated.

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 13:14

Contact: Melissa Schepers
Organisation: University of Hasselt (UHasselt)
Status: Still in development
Integrated approach for the characterization,validation and monitoring of protein biomarkers in animal tissue samples as well as on human tissue samples. The ''cell-block'' technique allows the study of cell lines with the same approach. The methodology involves histological and standardized

Last updated on: 12-11-2019 - 11:37

Contact: Cédric Balsat
Organisation: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Partners: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The cardiorespiratory model reproduces human physiology with a high level of fidelity. It is a lumped parameter model including a representation of atria, ventricles, pulmonary and systemic circulations, autonomic controls, metabolic peripheral control, ventilation and gas exchange in tissues and

Last updated on: 21-10-2021 - 10:07

Contact: Libera Fresiello
Organisation: Cannot be disclosed
Partners: Cannot be disclosed
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Loss of acinar differentiation drives pancreatic cancer. An established human in vitro experimental model is used in our lab to study this process. Pancreatic exocrine cells from human donors are placed in suspension culture in Advanced RPMI medium supplemented with 5% heat-inactivated fetal bovine

Last updated on: 16-03-2022 - 14:19

Contact: Elyne Backx
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
The lab routinely use C. elegans culture as genetic model. We explore the development and the ageing of the neuromuscular system. The methods used regularly in our lab include molecular biology, generation of transgenic animals or mutants, crossings, genetic screen, calcium imaging, fluorescence

Last updated on: 02-12-2019 - 13:54

Contact: patrick laurent
Organisation: Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Biomechanical modelling used to simulate functional performance of skeleton and muscle systems in vertebrates. For studying how tissues respond to mechanical loading during movement, we apply finite element modelling. For studying how muscles interact with skeletal elements, and how they make them

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 11:05

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Partners: Hull University
Status: History of use
In the skillslab, dummy models and simulators are used for teaching various clinical skills such as sutures, injections, … The veterinarians in training start with practising basic skills such as handling animals, and progress over the years to perform more complex procedures on simulators such as

Last updated on: 08-02-2023 - 14:18

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
The scope of our research ranges from the study of flow and transport processes in blood and biological fluids in the cardiovascular system and artificial organs to biomechanical aspects of the cardiovascular and the skeleto-muscular system and medical devices. All research tracks explored by our

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 11:02

Contact: Patrick Segers
Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Functional cardiomyocytes can be efficiently derived from human pluripotent stem cells, which collectively include embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). Specific affected biological pathways involved in disease can be functionally studied in differentiated cells at a single patient

Last updated on: 08-11-2019 - 11:01

Organisation: Ghent University (UGent)
Status: Internally validated
FIBEr (Flanders Institute for Biomechanical Experimentation) is a laboratory that investigates the mechanical properties (stiffness, strength, microstructure) of biological tissue, in casu bones, muscles, ligaments, blood vessels, etc. A quantitative characterization of the mechanical behavior of

Last updated on: 12-11-2019 - 11:45

Contact: Nele Famaey
Organisation: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Partners: Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated
Cell Culture and Reagents hiPSC-CMs can be obtained commercially either as living pre-plated cells seeded onto fibronectin-coated 96-well mClear plates (Greiner Bio-One, No. 655090) or can be plated in house at a density (~25,000 cells/well) suited to forming a confluent synchronously beating mono

Last updated on: 26-11-2019 - 13:17

Contact: Ard Teisman
Organisation: Janssen Pharma of JNJ
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
The Koken rat is a dummy rat that is developed to train animal procedures, such as handling, blood sampling and intubation.

Last updated on: 15-10-2022 - 09:06

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Cannot be disclosed
The DPRA is an in chemico method which quantifies the remaining concentration of cysteine- or lysine-containing peptide following 24 hours incubation with the test chemical at 25 +/-2,5ºC. The synthetic peptides contain phenylalanine to aid in the detection. Relative peptide concentration is

Last updated on: 22-02-2022 - 10:59

Contact: Bart Desmedt
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
The monocyte-activation test (MAT) is used to detect or quantify substances that activate human monocytes or monocytic cells to release endogenous mediators such as pro-inflammatory cytokines, for example tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). These

Last updated on: 22-02-2022 - 10:56

Contact: Celine Vanhee
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: Still in development, History of use
HepG2 is a human hepatoma derived cell line, which are epithelial in morphology. It was established from liver tissue of a 15-year-old Caucasian male with a well differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma. The HepG2 cell line is one of the most used human liver-based in vitro models. The cells secrete

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:02

Contact: Anja Heymans
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hUC-MSCs) express several key liver-specific transcription factors as well as hepatic progenitor markers. However, they still lack the hepatocyte nuclear factors 1-alpha (HNF1a) and 4-alpha (HNF4a), indispensable for their reprogramming towards

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:02

Contact: Karolien Buyl
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development
Albumin secretion in the supernatant of in vitro cultures can be measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The assay is based upon a quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique and measures albumin in the culture medium of primary hepatocytes and/or hepatocyte like cells. Standards

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:02

Contact: Steven Branson
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
Liver functionality can be monitored by the urea synthesis. In culture medium the measurement of urea synthesis relies on a chromogenic reagent that specifically forms a colored complex with urea. The concentration of this complex between urea, o-phthalaldehyde and N-(1-naphthyl) ethylenediamine can

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:03

Contact: Steven Branson
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
This method uses human skin-derived precursors (hSKP) differentiated towards hepatic cells (hSKP-HPC) as a hepatic in vitro model. Exposure of these cells for 24 hours to sub-cytotoxic concentrations of acetaminophen, which is a reference hepatotoxicant, induced specific cellular responses in a

Last updated on: 26-05-2022 - 10:39

Contact: Robim Rodrigues
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
This method provides a new and easy to standardize enzymatic isolation protocol to obtain human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hUC-MSCs). hUC-MSCs are obtained within 3 hours and the isolation method provides a minimal risk of bacterial contamination. The so-obtained hUC-MSCs were

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:02

Contact: Karolien Buyl
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
By the use of monolayer cultures as an in vitro system, the effects of drugs on CYP3A activity can be evaluated. It relies on the use of a luminogenic CYP3A substrate, namely luciferin-6′-pentafluorobenzylether (luciferin- PFBE). Upon biotransformation by CYP3A, luciferin-PFBE is converted into

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:03

Contact: Steven Branson
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
Cultivated liver cells are fixed with 4% (w/v) paraformaldehyde (PFA) for 10 minutes at room temperature and subsequently incubated for 15 minutes with 100 mM glycin solution, used to saturate reactive groups generated after PFA fixation. These cells are subsequently incubated for 10 minutes with 1%

Last updated on: 16-12-2022 - 19:40

Contact: Joery De Kock
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Rat liver epithelial cells are cultivated at 100% confluency on 100 µg/mL rat tail collagen type I coated culture dishes in base medium and sequentially exposed to hepatogenic growth factors and cytokines. Base medium consisted of William’s E medium without glutamine supplemented with 7.33 IE/mL

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:02

Contact: Joery De Kock
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Cryopreserved differentiated HepaRG cells (obtained from Biopredic International) are derived from a human hepatocellular carcinoma. These cells are an unique in vitro tool that provides reproducible results and exhibit many characteristics of primary human hepatocytes such as morphology, expression

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:02

Contact: Anja Heymans
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
Rat liver epithelial cells (rLEC) can be isolated from 8-day old male Sprague-Dawley rats. Briefly, small fragments of neonatal rat livers are incubated for 15 minutes with 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazine-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffered trypsin solution [0.25% (v/v)] and washed twice with

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:02

Contact: Joery De Kock
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Using this method you can measure the (relative) lipid load in human skin-derived stem cells differentiated towards hepatic cells. This method could also be applied on other cell types (e.g. HepG2), since it is based on the following publication: "M. T. Donato et al., Chem. Biol. Interact. 181, 417

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:00

Contact: Joost Boeckmans
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Internally validated
Mononuclear cells (MNC) are isolated from bone marrow aspirates by density gradient centrifugation and washed in Hank's buffered salt solution. MNC are seeded at a cell density of 2 × 10E4 cells/cm2 in low glucose DMEM supplemented with 15% (v/v) heat-inactivated FBS, 2 mM L-glutamine and 0.5% (v/v)

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:02

Contact: Joery De Kock
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Approximately 125 g of processed adipose tissue is incubated for 90 minutes at 37°C in dissociation medium (1:1) consisting of 1% (v/v) bovine serum albumin and 1 mg/mL collagenase A in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). After two filtration steps, the filtrate is carefully brought on top of 15 mL of

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:01

Contact: Joery De Kock
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
Human skin-derived precursor cells (hSKP) between are cultivated at 90% confluency on 100 µg/mL collagen type I in base medium and sequentially exposed to hepatogenic factors. Base medium consists of Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium + GLUTAMAX / F12 Nutrient supplement (3:1), supplemented with 7.33

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:01

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
E. coli is one of the organisms of choice for the production of recombinant proteins. DH5 alpha cells are commonly used for maintenance, propagation and mutation, whilst BL21(DE3) and C43(DE3) are mainly used for expression of the transgene. The advantage of C43(DE3) is that is used to produce

Last updated on: 03-11-2022 - 07:25

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development, History of use, Internally validated
Freshly collected human foreskin samples are incubated with 0.2 mg/mL Liberase DH solution and incubated overnight at 4°C. The next day, the epidermis is removed and the tissue is incubated at 37°C for another 10-20 minutes, depending on the sample size. After processing the samples, typically 5 -

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:01

Contact: Joery De Kock
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
HeLa cells are the first continuous cancer cell line and were isolated from the aggressive glandular cervical cancer of a 31-year old woman. It was the first aneuploid line derived from human tissue maintained in continuous cell culture. Knowledge of almost every process that occurs in human cells

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:01

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development, History of use
This method describes the steps to go from a liver to a decellularized matrix. It uses mild and strong detergents to destroy cells and keep the extracellular matrix intact. This matrix can then be used for a variety of purposes, including (but not limited to) repopulation, basis for coating and

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:01

Contact: Paul Claes
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal
This method describes the steps from a living rat to a single cell solution of primary hepatocytes. This requires surgery on the lab animal, a perfusion with buffer solution, a digestion with collagenase and a filtration step to obtain primary hepatocytes.

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:01

Contact: Paul Claes
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Human skin-derived adult stem cells differentiated towards hepatic cells (hSKP-HPC) are used in this method (R. M. Rodrigues et al., Stem Cells Dev. 23, 44–55 (2014)). These cells are exposed to a cocktail of insulin and glucose at certain concentrations. After 24h of exposure, these cells exhibit a

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:00

Contact: Joost Boeckmans
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development
This method describes a well-known optimised human in vitro model of drug-induced cholestasis. Cryopreserved primary human hepatocytes are cultured between two layers of extracellular matrix scaffold, which will delay dedifferentiation and allows to restore cell-extracellular matrix interactions.

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:00

Contact: Eva Gijbels
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ranges from simple steatosis to severe, life-threatening non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Steatosis is mostly asymptomatic and does not cause health complications. However, in 5-10% of the cases it proceeds to NASH in which hepatic inflammation occurs

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:00

Contact: Joost Boeckmans
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development
The effect of fluidics that mimic the blood flow in the liver sinusoids, is evaluated during the hepatic differentiation of human skin-derived precursors (hSKP). In a standard bi-dimensional (2D) cell culture system, hSKP are differentiated to hSKP-HPC for 24 days in static conditions. In a

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:00

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development
Drug-induced phospholipidosis (DIPL) is a metabolic disorder characterized by an excessive intracellular accumulation of phospholipids caused by cationic drugs. Hepatic cells derived from human skin are evaluated as an in vitro model to investigate DIPL and its mechanisms. Human skin stem cells

Last updated on: 20-02-2024 - 11:27

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
Polycaprolactone (PCL) fiber materials are fabricated using an electrospinning method. Molecular weight of PCL is 45 000 Da (Sigma-Aldrich). The electrospinning process is performed using 18wt% PCL solution dissolved in chloroform:ethanol at a ratio of 9:1. Two high-voltage sources are used to

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:00

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
For the generation of the human skin-derived precursors (hSKP) spheroids, ultra-low attachment 96-well plates, cell-repellent (Greiner) are used. hSKP cultured on tissue culture plates are detached with trypple (5 minutes) and collected in a tube. After centrifugation, hSKP are counted at the Burker

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:59

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development
ATP transports chemical energy within cells by serving as a substrate for kinases and as such fulfills a vital function in numerous cellular processes such as cell injury and subsequent cell death. ATP is therefore a crucial player in these events that are results of intracellular stress.

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:59

Contact: Axelle Cooreman
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
The MTT test is performed to determine the in vitro cytotoxicity of selected chemicals. The mitochondrial enzyme succinate deydrogenase is responsible for the biotransformation of toxic agents and MTT. The ability of cells to reduce MTT provides an indication of the mitochondrial integrity and

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:59

Contact: Axelle Cooreman
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
The standard operating procedure describes a method to assess the cholestasis-inducing potential of chemicals, in casu in cultures of primary rat hepatocytes. The procedure relies on the accumulation of the fluorescent bile salt export pump (Bsep) substrate cholyl-lysyl-fluorescein (CLF) in the

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:59

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
The standard operating procedure for Sudan Red III in situ staining of cultured rat hepatocytes describes how to detect one of the aspects of drug-induced cytotoxicity i.e. the intracellular accumulation of lipids or in other words steatosis, in primary rat hepatocyte cultures. It is based on the

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:59

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Basically, the standard operating procedure outlined in this document consists of the following steps, namely, (i) preparation of the cells for the DCFH-DA assay, (ii) DCFH-DA test procedure, (iii) processing of the results. Practical details are provided for each of these steps and are followed by

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:59

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
The present standard procedure describes a protocol for measuring the urea concentration in supernatant of human stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells. This procedure relies on a chromogenic reagent that forms a colored complex specifically with urea. The latter can be measured and is directly

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:59

Contact: Cannot be disclosed
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use, Internally validated
This method describes a very reliable and robust in vitro model for the screening of the cholestatic liability of drugs and other chemical entities. The 3D spheroids generated from primary human hepatocytes can be cultivated up to 28 days, allowing long-term exposures which can depict otherwise

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:59

Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Still in development
The VITOTOX test is a bacterial genotoxicity test. The test is based on bacteria that contain the lux operon of Vibrio fischeri under transcriptional control of the mutated recN promoter, which is controlled by the bacterial SOS-system (TA 104-recN2-4 strain or Genox strain). After incubation

Last updated on: 26-05-2022 - 10:40

Contact: Roel Anthonissen
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
The method detects two facets of drug-induced cytotoxicity i.e. the intracellular accumulation of phospholipids and of neutral lipids, i.e. phospholipidosis and steatosis respectively. The assay makes use of a kit containing an aqueous, red-fluorescent formulation of labelled phospholipids (LipidTOX

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:58

Contact: Kaat Leroy
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
This method assesses general cytotoxicity. Upon disruption of the cell membrane, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is released. LDH catalyzes the interconversion of pyruvate and lactate with concomitant interconversion of reduced (NADH) and oxidized (NAD+) nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The principle

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:58

Contact: Kaat Leroy
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
The GENOMARK tool in metabolically competent human HepaRG cells is based on the transcriptomic results obtained with 12 genotoxic (in vivo positive results) and 12 non-genotoxic (in vivo negative results) reference compounds. Genotoxic compounds were selected to cover different mechanisms of action

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:03

Contact: Anouck Thienpont
Organisation: Sciensano, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Internally validated, Published in peer reviewed journal
The neutral red uptake assay is a cell viability assay that allows in vitro quantification of xenobiotic-induced cytotoxicity. The assay relies on the ability of living cells to incorporate and bind neutral red, a weak cationic dye, in lysosomes. As such, cytotoxicity is expressed as a concentration

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 11:04

Contact: Robim Rodrigues
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
Human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 FT cells is a celline that is very easy to culture and is used to obtain high viral titers. “293” is a reference to the 293th experiment wherein the cell line was discovered. A transfection with an adenovirus type 5 DNA fragment took place, causing the cell line to

Last updated on: 28-02-2022 - 10:58

Contact: Matthias Rombaut
Organisation: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Status: History of use
The neutral red uptake (NRU) assay provides a quantitative measurement of the number of viable cells. The test is based on the ability of living cells to take up and bind neutral red (NR), a dye which easily penetrates cell membranes via non-ionic diffusion and accumulates in the lysosomes. Dying

Last updated on: 21-02-2022 - 15:23

Contact: Roel Anthonissen
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
The in vitro Alkaline Comet Assay is a microgel electrophoresis technique which allows to measure DNA damage (single and double strand breaks, alkali labile sites, incomplete excision repair sites and cross links) cell by cell. Cells are mixed with 0.8% Low Melting Point Agarose which is spread as a

Last updated on: 21-02-2022 - 15:21

Contact: Roel Anthonissen
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: History of use, Published in peer reviewed journal
The Ames test is a short-term bacterial reverse gene mutation assay specifically designed to detect a wide range of chemical substances that can produce genetic damage that leads to permanent gene mutations. The test has been described in detail in OECD TG 471 and employs several histidine dependent

Last updated on: 21-02-2022 - 15:15

Contact: Roel Anthonissen
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)
The in vitro micronucleus test is a genotoxicity test for the detection of micronuclei in the cytoplasm of interphase cells and has been described in detail in OECD TG 487. Micronuclei may originate from acentric chromosome fragments (i.e. lacking a centromere), or whole chromosomes that

Last updated on: 23-11-2022 - 16:31

Contact: Birgit Mertens
Organisation: Sciensano
Status: Published in peer reviewed journal, Validated by an external party (e.g. OECD, EURL ECVAM,…)