Dr Anthony Davies
Stage 1, Images of cells stained with dyes which specifically interact with the nucleic acids and proteins (red and green respectively) are captured using HCS reader system.
High Content Imaging technologies have become indispensable tools in the advancement of our understanding of how the human body works at the cellular level. These new research platforms provide the capacity to generate hundreds of times more scientifically valuable information than the conventional analysis technologies that are currently in use today. As part of the IMM, this facility plays a central role in numerous research projects and collaborations which take place in both the national and international scientific arenas. Over the last three years the reputation of this facility has grown to a point where it is now considered to be an international centre of excellence for both technical expertise and advanced training.
The success of this facility has been underpinned by the efforts of our dedicated team of scientific specialists, whose primary research goal is the advancement of these technologies and their applications. We currently service approximately 30 research projects, which range from large scale gene silencing (siRNA) screens, where the functional characteristics of each individual gene in the whole human genome is assessed by disrupting its function. As well as gene silencing we are strongly committed in the area of nano-biology, where our facility is being currently utilised for study of the biocompatibility of a range of advanced nano-materials which have potential therapeutic and diagnostic applications. We also have numerous projects in the areas of infection and immunity, cell signalling, lung, gut and prostate cancer, heart disease and drug discovery.
Finally we have recently announced the successful completion of the world’s first academic course in High Content Screening and Analysis, where approximately 30 postgraduate students from a range of scientific and medical disciplines received the very latest theoretical and practical training from a host of world leading experts from industry and academia.
Key Publications
Spectroscopic probing of dynamic changes during
stimulation and cell remodelling in the single cardiac
myocyte.
Anal Chem. Jun 15;79(12):4581-7, 2007.
Inya-Agha O, Klauke N, Davies A, Smith G, Cooper JM.
"Jelly dots": synthesis and cytotoxicity studies of CdTe
quantum dot-gelatin nanocomposites.
Small. Jul;3(7):1152-6, 2007.
Byrne SJ, Williams Y, Davies A, Corr SA, Rakovich A,
Gun'ko YK, Rakovich YP, Donegan JF, Volkov Y.
Deficiency of PDK1 in cardiac muscle results in heart
failure and increased sensitivity to hypoxia.
EMBO J. Sep 15;22(18):4666-76, 2003.
Mora A, Davies AM, Bertrand L, Sharif I, Budas GR,
Jovanovic S, Mouton V, Kahn CR, Lucocq JM, Gray GA,
Jovanovic A, Alessi DR.
Chronic mild hypoxia protects heart-derived H9c2 cells
against acute hypoxia/reoxygenation by regulating
expression of the SUR2A subunit of the ATP-sensitive K+
channel.
J Biol Chem. Aug 15;278(33):31444-55, 2003.
Crawford RM, Jovanovic S, Budas GR, Davies AM, Lad H,
Wenger RH, Robertson KA, Roy DJ, Ranki HJ, Jovanovic A.