Director
Min H. Kang, PharmD
Co-investigator
C Patrick Reynolds, MD PhD


Testing
The lab tests drugs on a panel of cell lines includes neuroblastomas, rhabomyosarcomas, lymphomas, ALL, AML, ESFT, and brain tumor cell lines).
The NCI PPTP In vitro Laboratory
PPTP In vitro Laboratory
Dr. Kang's laboratory conducts the in vitro preclinical testing for the PPTP.
The assay employed is DIMSCAN, a fluorescence-based multi-well assay with a dynamic range of 4 logs of cell kill.
Equipment
The in vitro testing lab is equipped with:
- 3 biological safety cabinets
- a robot pipettor
- 4 incubators (O2 control capable)
- a DIMSCAN
- centrifuges
- -80° and 4° GLP storage
- and access to the Childhood Cancer Repository, powered by Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.
Lab Layout
Methods employed
The primary cytotoxicity assay for the lab is the DIMSCAN 96 well assay. DIMSCAN employs fluorescein diacetate (FDA) to identify viable cells, with quenching of fluorescence by eosin Y, and viable cells quantified using a DIMSCAN digital image microscopy system.
The DIMSCAN assay has a 4 log dynamic range when testing solid tumor and leukemia cell lines. All cell lines used are human, have been tested and shown to be free of mycoplasma, and have been demonstrated to be unique using short tandem repeats.