Cellular respiration and energy analyzer of living cells in high troughput

• Subject Area: Medicine
• Term: Funded in 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 467735073

The complex regulation of cell metabolism, which also includes the production and detoxification of reactive oxygen species, plays a central role in numerous physiological and pathophysiological processes. Relevant pathologies include infections, inflammatory processes, and cancer. In order to understand corresponding regulatory processes, it is necessary to monitor cell metabolism in living cells in real time under a wide range of conditions. The proposed analytical instrument for the determination of cellular respiration and the energy status of living cells in high throughput allows the investigation of bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells as well as the measurement of isolated mitochondria. Work on cellular regulators of the immune response and metabolism will be performed in 2D and 3D cultures of tumor cells, but also in primary immune cells. Investigations are planned with regard to new active substances in tumor therapy. Also new anti-infectious agents will be characterized comprehensively for their metabolic effects. Their effect on the metabolism of both bacteria and host cells will be investigated.Furthermore, comprehensive studies on the fundamental understanding of the redox dependence of cellular respiration are planned, focusing on yeast as an important model organism. Furthermore, novel redox-active agents will be characterized regarding their effect on the metabolism of tumor cells and immune cells.

• DFG Programme: Major Research Instrumentation
• Major Instrumentation: Analysegerät zur Bestimmung der Zellatmung und des Energiestatus von Lebendzellen im Hochdurchsatz
• Instrumentation Group: 3560 Warburg-Apparaturen, Zellstoffwechsel-Analysengeräte
• Applicant Institution: Universität des Saarlandes
• Leader: Professorin Dr. Alexandra K. Kiemer