Data from a number of in vitro models can be combined to assess the potential for molecules to penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and cause an effect in the CNS.

Contract labs perform scientific research and testing on one or more components of projects for external clients. Contracts can last anywhere from only a few weeks for a single, specific task to many years for extended projects. Taylor Technology Inc., a subsidiary of PharmaNet Development Group Inc., is a drug development contract research organization focused on bioanalysis, the measurement of potentially new chemicals or molecular entities (new treatments) in biological samples.

To date, we’ve experienced a year of mega-mergers with six of the top pharmaceutical players combining forces to become three major contenders. What does this mean for the affected employees and managers alike? Well, believe it or not, it can lead to employment opportunities and personal successes that otherwise may not have been considered.

As more therapeutic proteins enter the market, an even larger number accumulate in biopharmaceutical drug pipelines. In order to improve assay quality and manage the growing workload, automated systems are needed to provide qualitative and quantitative information.

Getting a new drug into the hands of patients is no easy feat. Pharmaceutical companies have to go through a myriad of tests in cell cultures, animals and humans before discovering and developing treatments for illnesses.

Scientists working in microplate format can go through several wash/dispense cycles in the course of their application.

Like other new tools in the drug discovery process, automation, implemented properly, can generate the insight necessary to drive the pharmaceutical business forward.

While other common types of contamination are usually quickly identified and/or treated, mycoplasma contamination often provides no clear symptoms but can wreak havok on assay results.