Sponsored Content by IKADec 18 2017
Aurigene is a specialized drug discovery biotech company focusing on inflammatory and oncology diseases. The company, situated in Bangalore and Hyderabad in India, has expertise in deep target and therapeutic areas.
It also has operations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With a totally integrated drug discovery infrastructure starting from hit generation to pre-clinical development, the company’s focus target areas are autoimmune/inflammatory and oncology diseases.
Aurigene works closely with major pharma companies through early stage partnerships, co-development and licensing, providing specialized services in the fields of small molecule synthesis, peptide, crystallography, ADME assays, and non-GMP scale-up.
The challenge
Biotechnology is generally defined as a technology wherein a product is made or modified using live organisms such as plant cells, animal cells, yeast, fungi, viruses, bacteria etc. to engineer microorganisms for specific applications or to improve certain animal or plant features.
To achieve this, the gene has to be isolated, studied for its function and regulation, modified, and reintroduced into its natural environment through another organism and/or vector system. This process helps gain insights into disease resistance, communication pathways employed by cells and between other microorganisms or regulation of growth and development.
When tissues are homogenized, achieving efficient disruption of organisms, such as heavily encased samples and seeds, either chemically or through the introduction of enzymes is a major challenge. In such cases, cell and tissue disruption is a challenging task to complete.
Moreover, the energy required for these “harsh methods” is typically high and can ruin the proteins of interest. Also, it is not possible to use excessive force as the protein samples of interest can be destroyed by the resulting detrimental heat and/or shear generated.
Advantages of T 10 basic
- 125 W drive helps achieve stable speed with various media
- Suitable for manual operation
- Lightweight and ergonomic form with direct mains operation
- Stainless steel elements with PTFE bearings ideal for all sterilization methods
- Thanks to the quick release coupling, the disperser element can be easily changed and cleaned
VORTEX Genius (VG 3)
- Wide speed range
- Ideally suited for non-stop operation with low heat up caused by self-ventilation of the motor
- Equipped with special adjustments for microtiter plates, microcentrifuge tubes, and Erlenmeyer flasks/conical flasks
The Solution
To homogenize such resilient samples, physical and mechanical methods that rely on shocking, beating, shearing, and grinding are employed. Mechanical -rotor/ stator technology still remains the most efficient method to produce a homogeneous mass.
Skin, intestine, lungs and heart muscle are examples of tissues that cannot be easily broken down. The IKA® T 10 basic homogenizer features a rotor-stator design with an inner turning shaft (rotor) coupled to a motor and an outer stationary tube (stator).
At the bottom of the rotor-stator, slots are present on both the shaft and tube. When rotating at a speed of 8,000 - 30,000 rpm, samples are efficiently sheared when pressed against the slots of the rotor-stator. The plant and animal tissues of increasing mass can be macerated using the IKA® T 10 basic.
Using the shearing action of homogenizers, a highly uniform homogenate is produced in a relatively short time. The sample volume range for the handheld T 10 basic homogenizer is 0.5 ml up to 100 ml.
A wide choice of homogenizers is available from IKA®, ranging from units capable of producing a gentle nicking of the cells to obtain intact organelles to more vigorous disruption to obtain membrane-bound proteins.
The IKA® VORTEX Genius 3 (VG 3) shaker is used to break fragile mammalian cells by shaking the suspended cells moderately (500 – 2500 rpm). The VG 3 is a convenient instrument that can be employed for dispersing solids into solution or mixing small vials of liquid.
This device is equipped with an electric motor and a vertically oriented drive shaft, which is coupled to an inverted rubber cap/base mounted slightly off-center. When the motor is run, the rubber base creates a vortex by oscillating in an orbital motion at a speed of 2500 rpm.
By pressing a test tube or another suitable container against the rubber base or touching the container to its edge, this orbital motion is transferred to the liquid present in the container, creating a vortex. The variable speed settings allow the VG 3 to make a continuous run or to run only upon application of the downward pressure onto the rubber base.
The VG 3 is a versatile device that can be used with seven inserts and three interchangeable attachments for microtiter plates, microcentrifuge tubes and 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks. IKA® VG 3 units can be run continuously even when completely taxed and/or running at full speed when performing a given procedure.
Customer Benefits
IKA® homogenizers are fully flexible and have a small footprint with quiet operation. The IKA® T 10 basic homogenizers and VG 3 vortex shakers have been used by Aurigene over the past 10 years. Aurigene has installed over 20 of these homogenizers in its laboratory setting, achieving improved homogeneity and efficiency during the dispersion process.
Additionally, these units have reduced the number of cycles the samples need to pass through to obtain the desired homogeneous phase, thereby saving time and increasing productivity.
According to Aurigene’s Associate Research Director, Dr Shekar S. Chelur, “IKA® products are compact with ergonomic designs and are known for reliable performance. IKA® India provides good customer support. Homogenizers with disposable dispersion elements offer great advantage to eliminate cross contamination.”
About IKA
The IKA group has over 800 employees at eight locations on four continents and is proud to serve customers such as BASF, Bayer or Procter&Gamble.
IKA are the leader in the world market in most of the product groups and a leading example for development and growth. Their Corporate slogan is IKA-Designed to work perfectly.
Process Technology
The Process Technology division of IKA offers turnkey solutions and state-of-the-art manufacturing options. IKA‘s solutions include: dispersing machines, homogenizers, stirrers, jet flow agitators, kneading machines, vacuum dryers as well as ready-for-use process plants, all being manufactured in IKA‘s outstanding high product quality. Consulting, design and realization of complex projects as well as proactive after-sales services complete IKA’s solution portfolio.
Laboratory Technology
IKA laboratory technology offers a wide range of innovative equipment for numerous applications in research and development. Market leaders trust in our proven technology for their mixing, heating, distilling and crushing applications. IKA has gained a leading position in the world market with its innovative magnetic stirrers, mixers, overhead stirrers, shakers, homogenizers, mills, rotary evaporators, calorimeters, laboratory reactors and specially developed software for laboratory and analysis applications.
Global Coverage
The IKA group has global coverage with eight different regional divisions;
- Germany - IKA® Werke GmbH & Co. KG
- Poland - IKA® Poland Sp. z o.o.
- UK - IKA® England LTD
- North America - IKA® Works, Inc.
- South America - IKA® Works Brazil
- China - IKA® Works Guangzhou
- Japan - IKA® Japan
- China - IKA® China
- Malaysia - IKA® Works Malaysia
- India - IKA® India Private Limited
- Korea: IKA® Korea. Ltd.
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