Technologies development and generation of a technological platform in order to evaluate drugs efficacy

Introduction Collaboration between public and private research groups gives them the opportunity to get the best from both, including cost/profit/timing/target without losing the fundamental research. In this contest, a Sicilian Public-Private Laboratory has been set up from the collaboration of two organizations, both present in our region, CNR-IBB and Wyeth Lederle S.p.A., now owned by MYRMEX S.p.A. The MIUR funding, provided for the setting up of the Public-Private Laboratory, was obtained in 2006 (D.M. 2629 30-11-2006 "Public/private laboratory for developing technologies and technological platforms in order to evaluate the drugs efficacy"). The laboratory has been located inside theMYRMEX R&D Center in Catania. Aims This public-private collaboration has a double purpose: o Research: Evaluation of drugs efficacy and biomarkers discovery by means of Genomic and Proteomic Analysis; o Training activity: formation of professionals in Biotechnology and Bioinformatic fields. Methods DNA microarray technology applied for gene expression profiling, identification of toxicity pathways, genotyping assay, detection of biomarkers, target selection of new compounds. Mass spectrometry applied for targets identification, biomarkers discovery, proteins differential expression, top-down proteomics analysis, investigation of post-translational modifications, establishing of protein-protein interactions. Bioinformatic approach used to collect, storage, interpret and predict complex multivariable data obtained from both genomic and proteomic studies.