Spirovation is specialty CRO affiliated with the Marsico Lung Insitute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, combining world-class academic scientific leadership with the operational capabilities of a contract research organization. Our mission is to empower breakthrough drug development in respiratory medicine by providing leading scientific expertise and the broadest array of translational medicine capabilities in respiratory research.
Spirovation understands capital efficiency. We work with our partners to identify, design and execute joint research activities more efficiently and more strategically so that milestones are met as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our standard and proprietary assays support customized drug discovery and translational medicine to meet the unique needs of small, medium, and large biopharmaceutical companies.
Commitment to Customers
Scientific Leadership
The histology core provides expertise in all aspects of transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Access to a high pressure freezer and automated freeze substitution is available.
Novel Biomarkers for Pulmonary Drug Development
The Histology Core provides high quality light and electron microscopy services:
Isolation, storage, and analysis of high quality RNA.
PK, target engagement, initial clinical benefit/ risk
We offer numerous animal models of lung diseases, including the first “CF mouse” (UNCtm null).
The Mouse Models Core Laboratory operates under the supervision of Dr. Wanda O’Neal and is dedicated to in vivo studies involving transgenic and knock-out mice generated or procured through the Marsico Lung Institute.
Capabilities
Use recent advances in cell immortalization technology to create new cell lines and characterize their biochemical properties, morphology and electrophysiologic function
Obtain nasal tissues and tracheo-bronchiolar segments from normal, CF and disease control humans as sources of airway epithelial cells for culture, for ex vivo experiments, for RNA and proteins representative of in vivo conditions, and for in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry
Ussing chamber ion current measurement in bronchial and GI epithelial cells
We have extensive capabilities to perform classical Ussing chamber studies on large numbers of tissues for screening purposes. Extensive experience has accrued in developing the appropriate quality control procedures to assure accurate and reproducible testing of compound activities in this assay
We offer an extensive array of technologies to measure ciliary function both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, we have available techniques for measurement of ciliary beat frequency in human and animal culture systems, measurements with high-speed videomicroscopy of ciliary beat form, ultrastructural measurement capacities to evaluate ciliary shaft structure, and the ability to perform proteomics of ciliary shaft proteins.
We have extensive experience with cell culture and freshly excised murine tracheal models to measure baseline and regulated mucin secretion. These models are coupled to a spectrum of mucin measurement technologies, including antibody/ELISA based, biochemical/UPLC - light scattering technologies, and techniques that couple both technologies.
In addition, we have extensive experience in measuring biophysical properties of mucus that are important for drug penetration through mucus, mucus flow, and mucus adhesion.
We have extensive experience in characterizing airway surface liquid physiology, in response to candidate therapeutic agents, under the “thin film” ASL technique. In “standard” versions of this technique, a combination of airway surface liquid (ASL) volume as measured by confocal techniques, indices of ion transport processes mediating ASL volume homeostasis from transepithelial microelectrode voltage measurements, coupled with micropipette liquid sampling for measurements of drug concentrations, can be made. Note, drugs can be added to the basolateral compartment of these preparations, the luminal compartment in perfluorocarbon, or indeed, more recently, by an interface to ultrasonic nebulizers that deliver aerosols to cultured airway surfaces at rates that mimic aerosol deposition in vivo.
Spirovation has not received any reviews.
Spirovation has not received any endorsements.