Department of Bioanalysis

Research

The research of the Laboratory of Toxicology can be subdivided in two disciplines:

  • A first research line focus on the bio-analytical determination of drugs, drugs of abuse, as well as vitamins in a wide set of matrices (from blood, over urine or hair to plant material for vitamins), with particular emphasis on alternative sampling strategies, such as dried blood sampling. Special attention goes here to the development of new methods and concepts. To get a better view on the research performed in this domain by the laboratory see the publications.
  • A second research line is related to G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) biology, joining research previously performed at the Laboratory of G-protein Expression and Signal Transduction (L-GEST) with more recent research at the Laboratory of Toxicology. This implies investigation of the molecular mechanisms that control GPCR signaling, as well as the description, on a molecular level, of the link between ligand binding and signaling efficacy in specific pathways. In addition, we analyze and try to define the role of protein-protein interactions. The latter also includes the development of novel bioassays to determine the biological activity of a diversity of compounds in biological matrices. To get a better view on the research performed in this domain by the laboratory see the publications.

Techniques used are analytical techniques (GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, LC-FLUO, LC-DAD and immunological methods (for screening)), as well as microscopy, cell biological and molecular biological techniques.

 

PhD dissertations since 2008