Trudeau Institute Contract Research Organization (TICRO)

Vaccine/infection-induced antibody responses
Neutralizing antibody assays

Animal models facilitate the study of the pathogenesis and complications of infectious disease, as well as allowing for the evaluation of treatment protocols that are not immediately feasible or ethical in human patients. Murine models provide populations of genetically uniform subjects that can be maintained under environmentally controlled conditions. Initial in vivo testing of new pharmaceutical agents in mouse models allows for critical early stage evaluation of potential toxicity and unexpected side effects of therapeutics prior to human application.

Our Animal Facilities and Technical Services Core offer the following services:

• Animal bio-safety level 2 and 3 suites
• Aerosol exposure and select agent capabilities
• Complex mouse surgery
• Production of hematopoietic chimeras
• Mouse rederivation and cryopreservation
• Contract breeding
• Mouse aging services

All animals are housed in individually ventilated micro isolator cages. More than 95 percent of the mice used each year are bred on site in the mouse breeding facility, which houses more than 100 inbred, congenic, transgenic, and mutant strains. A comprehensive sentinel monitoring program is in place for all animal facilities.

Custom antigen-specific cell detection

Mouse models of infection with a broad range of pathogens, including many that target the respiratory tract including:

Influenza A and B viruses, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pestis, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejunii, and Francisella tularensis (strain LVS). We have the scientific expertise to tailor these models to client specifications and develop new infectious disease models to meet the needs of clients.

ELISA, Luminex array, ELISPOT, intracellular cytokine staining,

There is an ever-growing demand for vaccines and therapeutics that can effectively prevent or treat a wide range of infectious diseases. Preclinical efficacy testing determines the efficacy of vaccine and therapeutic candidates and provides insights into dose and dose scheduling.

TICRO scientists have established expertise with in vivo infectious disease models. We offer a broad spectrum of established infection models to assess preclinical efficacy of vaccine candidates in challenge studies and anti-infective agents. We offer murine models of infection using a broad range of pathogens, with a focus on respiratory infections, including: Influenza A and B viruses, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pestis, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejunii, and Francisella tularensis (strain LVS). We have the scientific expertise to tailor these models to client specifications and develop new infectious disease models to meet the needs of clients.

14-color/16-parameter BD LSRII flow cytometry for analysis of low frequency cells

11-color/13-parameter BD Influx with BSL2+ biocontainment for viable cell separation of infected samples

8-color BD FACSCanto II flow cytometry for multi-parameter analysis for complex cell phenotyping

4-color BDFACSCaliburs and 3-color BDFACScans for high throughput flow cytometry sample screening

Multicolor immunofluorescent panel design assistance

Flow cytometry experiment and protocol design and sample preparation assistance

Acquisition and analysis of flow cytometric data

5-color immunofluorescence with laser scanning confocal microscopy and imaging

Immunohistochemistry for pathogen, epithelial cell and immune cell markers

Evaluation of effects on immune function is an essential component of when evaluating the safety of new drugs and biotechnology products. Changes in immunity may alter the desired clinical effects of drugs, and some therapeutic agents may increase susceptibility to infectious diseases.

Animal models facilitate the study of the pathogenesis and complications of diseases. They permit the evaluation of treatment protocols that are not immediately feasible or ethical in human patients. Animal models of infection provide populations of genetically uniform subjects that can be maintained under environmentally controlled conditions.

TICRO offers an immunology and immunophenotyping program tailored to the needs of both academic researchers and the biopharmaceutical industry. We also offer in vivo assessment of immune cell phenotype and immune cell function in response to drug administration in the context of in vivo murine models of vaccination and infectious disease.

Immunology and immunophenotyping can be assessed using in vivo and in vitro assays of immune function. The following assays are currently available, and custom assays can be developed according to customer specifications:
• Complete blood count, differential white blood cell count
• Lymphoid organ weights, body weight and temperature
• Histopathology, gross and microscopic
• ELISA
• T-Cell phenotype and function
• B-Cell phenotype and function
• Cytokine quantitation
• Cytotoxicity assays
• Vaccine/infection-induced antibody responses
• Neutralizing antibody assays
• Pathogen burden quantitation
• Flow cytometry
• Immunohistochemistry
• Molecular biology assays

TICRO’s animal models facilitate the evaluation of candidate therapeutics, vaccines and adjuvants for toxic side effects leading to impaired immune cell function and impaired immunity to infections. We offer murine models of infection using a broad range of pathogens, with a focus on respiratory infections, including: Influenza A and B viruses, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pestis, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejunii, and Francisella tularensis (strain LVS).

Custom gain of function (over-expression) and loss of function (shRNA) retroviral constructs and retrovirus production

Immunophenotyping

TICRO offers an immunology and immunophenotyping program tailored to the needs of both academic researchers and the biopharmaceutical industry. We also offer in vivo assessment of immune cell phenotype and immune cell function in response to drug administration in the context of in vivo murine models of vaccination and infectious disease.

Immunology and immunophenotyping can be assessed using in vivo and in vitro assays of immune function. The following assays are currently available, and custom assays can be developed according to customer specifications:

• Complete blood count, differential white blood cell count
• Lymphoid organ weights, body weight and temperature
• Histopathology, gross and microscopic
• ELISA
• T-Cell phenotype and function
• B-Cell phenotype and function
• Cytokine quantitation
• Cytotoxicity assays
• Vaccine/infection-induced antibody responses
• Neutralizing antibody assays
• Pathogen burden quantitation
• Flow cytometry
• Immunohistochemistry
• Molecular biology assays

TICRO’s animal models facilitate the evaluation of candidate therapeutics, vaccines and adjuvants for toxic side effects leading to impaired immune cell function and impaired immunity to infections. We offer murine models of infection using a broad range of pathogens, with a focus on respiratory infections, including: Influenza A and B viruses, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pestis, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejunii, and Francisella tularensis (strain LVS).

Custom gain of function (over-expression) and loss of function (shRNA) retroviral constructs and retrovirus production

Lymphoid organ weights, body weight and temperature

Routine and specialty staining of tissue sections

Processing tissues for paraffin and cryosectioning

Immunophenotyping

TICRO offers an immunology and immunophenotyping program tailored to the needs of both academic researchers and the biopharmaceutical industry. We also offer in vivo assessment of immune cell phenotype and immune cell function in response to drug administration in the context of in vivo murine models of vaccination and infectious disease.

Immunology and immunophenotyping can be assessed using in vivo and in vitro assays of immune function. The following assays are currently available, and custom assays can be developed according to customer specifications:

• Complete blood count, differential white blood cell count
• Lymphoid organ weights, body weight and temperature
• Histopathology, gross and microscopic
• ELISA
• T-Cell phenotype and function
• B-Cell phenotype and function
• Cytokine quantitation
• Cytotoxicity assays
• Vaccine/infection-induced antibody responses
• Neutralizing antibody assays
• Pathogen burden quantitation
• Flow cytometry
• Immunohistochemistry
• Molecular biology assays

TICRO’s animal models facilitate the evaluation of candidate therapeutics, vaccines and adjuvants for toxic side effects leading to impaired immune cell function and impaired immunity to infections. We offer murine models of infection using a broad range of pathogens, with a focus on respiratory infections, including: Influenza A and B viruses, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pestis, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejunii, and Francisella tularensis (strain LVS).

Wide-field imaging in both bright-field and fluorescence

TICRO’s animal models facilitate the evaluation of candidate therapeutics, vaccines and adjuvants for toxic side effects leading to impaired immune cell function and impaired immunity to infections. We offer murine models of infection using a broad range of pathogens, with a focus on respiratory infections, including: Influenza A and B viruses, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pestis, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejunii, and Francisella tularensis (strain LVS).