CTI Medtech Award nomination for automated, quality controlled cell culturing system

A novel automated solution developed through a collaboration between Tecan and researchers at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in Wädenswil and at the University of Zurich, has been nominated for an award by Innovation Promotion Agency CTI of the Swiss Confederation. The new automated system controls all required steps of cell culture, including isolation, seeding, proliferation, harvesting and quality control of cell lines and primary cells, providing standardized and af-fordable procedures for research into ground-breaking regenerative medicine.

Since 1997, the CTI Medtech initiative has funded around 200 projects to promote close cooperation between science and industry. Each year, CTI presents an award to the project that best demonstrates an innovative product that combines strong market potential and medical relevance.

Prof Ursula Graf-Hausner, group leader of the Cell Biology Division at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, said: “We have worked closely with Tecan throughout this project and I believe we have made a significant breakthrough. For us, it is an enormous achievement to be nominated alongside Switzerland’s pres-tigious universities and federal institutes.”

Prof Norbert Boos, Head of Spinal Surgery at the Orthopedic University Hospital Balgrist, and Head of the Spine Research Group, Centre of Applied Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, University of Zurich, said: “Automated cell culture systems are a prerequisite to bring tissue engineering from the bench to the bedside. We have achieved a major leap forward in making regenerative medicine a clinical reality.”

Roland Durner, Director Market & Application Management for BioPharma at Te-can, added: “We are delighted that we continue to be closely involved at the fore-front of cutting-edge scientific research, and are very pleased to be nominated for this much sought after award.”

For more information about the project, please contact:
Prof. Dr. Ursula Graf-Hausner, project leader,
Zurich University of Applied Sciences
Institute of Chemistry and Biological Chemistry
CH-8820 Wädenswil
T +41 58 934 55 18
ursula.graf@zhaw.ch, www.icbc.zhaw.ch

For more information about Tecan, please contact: Tecan Deutschland GmbH, Theodor-Storm-Straße 17, 74564 Crailsheim, Deutschland. Tel: +49 7951 94170, Fax: +49 7951 5038; e-mail: info.de@tecan.com or www.tecan.com.