|
|
|
|
The Bone and Cartilage Research Unit (BCRU – department of Physical medicine, University of Liège, Belgium) is highly specialized in the pre-clinical and clinical investigation of drugs used in the treatment of bone and joint diseases. BCRU has an extensive expertise in the study of the pathophysiological events involved in osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, mainly in the study of the biochemical factors involved in cartilage degradation and senescence.
BCRU has developed elegant methods for studying cytokines network, oxidative stress, cartilage matrix repair and degradation and bone remodeling. It is expert in co-culture systems and in the culture of chondrocytes in hypoxic conditions and under mechanical strains (Flexercell system). He has developed an original culture model of osteoarthritic subchondral bone osteoblasts allowing the comparison of the sclerotic and nonsclerotic osteoblast responses to biochemical or mechanical stimuli. This laboratory is a member of one faculty center (Center of Immunology) and one inter faculties center (Center of Oxygen Research and Development). By this way, BCRU has access to high technologies such as electron spin resonance, chemiluminescence, real time PCR which are routinely used by experienced researchers. BCRU works in collaboration with the Centre for Trace Element (CART) and has a direct access to all the most recent technologies necessary for proteomics analysis of biological fluids. Recently, BCRU has determined the proteomic profile of urine of OA patients. Furthermore, BCRU has a great expertise in the diagnosis and follow-up of arthritic patients, mainly by the measurements of cartilage and bone turnover markers in serum, urine and synovial fluid. It has been serving, for more than 10 years, as a central laboratory facility, for these biomarkers in multicenter trials sponsored by pharmaceutical companies or governments. Recently, BCRU has conceptualized, developed and validated four new biomarkers for evaluating oxidative-related cartilage degradation in serum, urine and synovial fluid. It has also collaborated to the transfer of these technologies in the industry.
Linda Sandell visit our lab on january 23th Pleased to meet you Linda! Thank you for your coming!
November 5, 2010 : ARTIALIS The Bone and Cartilage Research Unit creates Artialis, a Belgian company specialized in the research, development and sale of biochemical markers for the diagnostic, the prognosic and the follow-up of musculoskeletal disorders.More about Artialis : › Artialis presentation
|
|||||||||||||||||||
