At the centre of biotechnology at Allahabad University, a state-of-the-art cell culture facility has become operational.
This specialised cell culture facility has been established in Prof. Awadh Bihari Yadav’s laboratory at the centre. The facility is designed for in-vitro cell proliferation and maintenance. It offers a controlled environment in which animal and human cells can be cultured and manipulated for research, drug development, biotechnology, and medical applications, among others.
Biosafety containers, CO2 incubators, single-cell counters, a centrifuge, and a phase contrast inverted microscope are the essential components of an animal cell culture facility. In the past, various animals, such as rats and rabbits, were used in laboratories to test the effects and side effects of drugs, resulting in the mortality of many animals.
In addition, due to stringent regulations regarding the use of animals in research, scientists face numerous obstacles when developing novel tests, and cell culture-based assays have proven to be among the most reliable methods for overcoming this constraint. This facility will accelerate cell culture-based research at the university and facilitate collaboration with researchers inside and outside of the university, Yadav told TOI.
A facility for animal cell culture has numerous applications in various disciplines. This facility will initially allow us to investigate the effects of pharmaceuticals, plant extracts, and nanomaterials on the A549 lung cancer cell line. After being exposed to the A549 lung cancer cell line, the toxicity of drugs, therapeutic molecules, and nanomaterials will be evaluated.
Prof. Yadav also mentioned that other cell lines could be used to evaluate the positive and negative effects of this facility. This facility’s applications are not limited to those listed above. “It can be expanded in the near future according to the needs of various fields, including biomedical research, drug discovery and development, biotechnology, vaccine development, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine,” he added.
Cell culture facilities play a crucial role in the advancement of scientific knowledge, the development of novel therapies and treatments, and the facilitation of discoveries in various fields of biology, medicine, and biotechnology. He emphasised that the animal cell culture facility will enable accurate laboratory testing of pharmaceuticals and medicinal remedies.