Precision In Vitro Oncology Research
Our research program applies validated in vitro assay platforms to systematically evaluate the anticancer potential of established and novel chemical entities across a curated panel of authenticated human cancer cell lines.
Integrated Research Framework
Our research framework integrates three core scientific disciplines: cancer cell biology, pharmacology, and medicinal chemistry. By combining expertise across these domains, we are able to design and execute comprehensive in vitro studies that generate mechanistically informative data on compound-cell line interactions.
Each research project begins with a clearly defined scientific hypothesis, supported by a review of the existing literature. Experimental designs are developed to test these hypotheses using the most appropriate validated assay platforms, with appropriate positive and negative controls included in all experiments.
Cytotoxicity & Antiproliferation
3 validated platforms
Apoptosis & Cell Death
3 validated platforms
Cell Cycle Analysis
2 validated platforms
Mechanistic Studies
3 validated platforms
Validated In Vitro Assay Platforms
Cytotoxicity & Antiproliferation
MTT Assay
Colorimetric assessment of mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity as a surrogate for cell viability and proliferation.
SRB Assay
Sulforhodamine B protein-binding assay for quantification of cell mass and antiproliferative activity.
CellTiter-Glo Luminescent
Bioluminescent ATP quantification for highly sensitive cell viability determination in 96- and 384-well formats.
Apoptosis & Cell Death
Annexin V / PI Flow Cytometry
Dual-parameter flow cytometric discrimination of viable, early apoptotic, late apoptotic, and necrotic cell populations.
Caspase 3/7 Activity
Fluorometric or luminometric quantification of effector caspase activation as a marker of apoptotic commitment.
TUNEL Assay
Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling for detection of DNA fragmentation in apoptotic cells.
Cell Cycle Analysis
Propidium Iodide Flow Cytometry
DNA content analysis by flow cytometry for quantification of cell cycle phase distribution and sub-G1 apoptotic fraction.
BrdU Incorporation
Bromodeoxyuridine incorporation assay for S-phase fraction determination and proliferation rate assessment.
Mechanistic Studies
Western Blot Analysis
Immunoblot detection of target protein expression and post-translational modification states following compound treatment.
Combination Index Analysis
Chou-Talalay method for quantitative determination of synergistic, additive, or antagonistic drug interactions.
IC₅₀ / Dose-Response Modeling
Non-linear regression analysis of dose-response data for IC₅₀ determination and selectivity index calculation.
Authenticated Human Cancer Cell Line Panel
All cell lines are obtained from ATCC or equivalent recognized repositories and authenticated by STR profiling. Regular mycoplasma testing is performed to ensure culture integrity throughout experimental use.
MCF-7
ATCC HTB-22Breast Adenocarcinoma
Luminal A, ER+/PR+/HER2−
Estrogen receptor-positive, hormone-responsive breast cancer model. Widely used for evaluation of endocrine-targeting and antiproliferative agents. Expresses functional p53.
MDA-MB-231
ATCC HTB-26Breast Adenocarcinoma
Triple-Negative (TNBC)
Highly aggressive triple-negative breast cancer model lacking ER, PR, and HER2 expression. Representative of the most therapeutically challenging breast cancer subtype. KRAS and BRAF mutant.
HCT116
ATCC CCL-247Colorectal Carcinoma
Microsatellite Unstable (MSI-H)
Mismatch repair-deficient colorectal cancer model with high microsatellite instability. KRAS G13D mutant. Widely used for evaluation of DNA damage response and apoptosis-inducing agents.
SW480
ATCC CCL-228Colorectal Carcinoma
Chromosomally Unstable (CIN)
Chromosomally unstable colorectal cancer model derived from a primary tumor. KRAS G12V mutant. Complements HCT116 for evaluation across distinct colorectal mutational backgrounds.
A549
ATCC CCL-185Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma
Lung Adenocarcinoma
KRAS G12S-mutant lung adenocarcinoma model. Widely employed for evaluation of compounds targeting RAS-driven oncogenic signaling and for general NSCLC antiproliferative screening.
HL-60
ATCC CCL-240Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia
AML-M3
Promyelocytic leukemia cell line responsive to differentiation-inducing agents. Classic model for evaluation of compounds inducing myeloid differentiation or apoptosis in hematologic malignancies.
K562
ATCC CCL-243Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
BCR-ABL+ CML Blast Crisis
BCR-ABL fusion-positive CML model in blast crisis. Relevant for evaluation of tyrosine kinase inhibitor activity and compounds targeting BCR-ABL-dependent signaling pathways.