Technological Equipment and Platforms

The combination of genomics, proteomics and bioinformatics heralds an innovative medicine which will gradually transform cancer treatment from today's “ready-to-wear” to tomorrow's “made-to-measure”.

Bioinformatics

By combining the skills and know-how of engineers, physicists, and mathematicians, the bioinformatics platform of the Institut Curie can be used to analyze clinical data (from medical records and the tumor bank) and laboratory findings (provided by silicon chips). Bioinformatics offer researchers and physicians the computer tools they need to process, organize and display the increasing volumes of data available to them.

Chemolibrary

The Institut Curie-CNRS compound library or chemolibrary contains over 8000 compounds. The screening of this collection against a wide panel of therapeutically interesting targets has already led to the discovery of a significant number of structurally novel 'hits'. 

 Cytometry - Analysis and cell sorting

Flow cytometry allows the measurement of the fluorescence or light diffraction properties of large numbers of particles at high speed. These particles can be cells, beads, bacteria, yeast, or subcellular components. At the Institut Curie flow cytometry is principally used to quantify multiple cell markers or functions, with the possibility of subsequently sorting subpopulations of interest.

Genomics

 - Equipment for genomics and cytogenetic analysis, such as CGH-arrays, SNP-arrays, high-density biochips, is used to investigate specific defects in tumor profiles, and to develop specific bioinformatics tools.

- The Affymetrix Platform for Molecular Biology uses DNA chips to analyze the expression of genes in a given cell. These data, compared with the data of normal cells, allow for better classification and diagnosis of cancers, and thus enable more precise prediction of response to treatment.

- The high-throughput sequencing platform brought into operation in 2009 can sequence the equivalent of one human genome per week. Identification of simple variations in genetic sequence or more complex constitutive or tumor chromosomal aberrations, mapping of protein binding sites and modifications of chromatin, and identification of small regulatory RNAs, are among the primary applications of the platform, which is open to scientists from other research centers.

High throughput cell screening

The high-throughput BioPhenics Platform uses image analysis algorithms to quantify the impact on cells of altered expression of specific genes. This technology enables identification of target molecules for pharmacological research and candidate drugs likely to be more effective against cancer and less toxic to the patient.

In vivo experiments and pre-clinical investigation

- In vivo experiments, complementary to in vitro (laboratory) experiments, are often necessary to identify new cancer targets and design therapeutic methods.

- The Laboratory of Preclinical Investigation has been created to assess the effectiveness of innovative cancer treatments and to select the best ones before they are used in clinical trials. As a complement to screening performed by the pharmaceutical industry, this research work optimizes the effects of potential drugs and predicts the effects of therapeutic combinations.

Proteomics

- The Proteomic Mass Spectrometry Laboratory is involved in many proteomics studies. Its objective is to identify and/or characterize proteins of interest as well as post-translational modifications by mass spectrometry after SDS page separation, 2D-gel electrophoresis and liquid chromatography.

- The Reverse Phase Protein Array (RPPA) Platform uses novel technology for automated application of biological samples in very small quantities for protein analysis using highly specific antibodies. With a range of over 120 antibodies, the RPPA platform can be used to study most known cell signaling pathways.

Scientific Imaging 

 Several technical support centers and technological platforms provide training and know-how in tissular, cellular and molecular imagery. State-of-art microscopes coupled to computers are available to the Institut Curie researchers, and some equipment is also accessible to researchers from other research centers.