Cell Biology
Cell-Based Assays
Pharmaron’s cell-based assay services encompass the entire spectrum of cell biology—from standard IC50 doses to custom-tailored analyses of cellular responses to drug treatment. Our state-of-the-art technologies, including fully automated high-throughput screening via high-content imaging, push the boundaries of data-driven drug discovery.
Strategically co-located with our in vivo pharmacology, laboratory chemistry, and DMPK divisions, our cell-based assay services benefit from streamlined compound logistics, accelerating turnaround times, and DMTA cycles. For example, we execute routine cell-based assays within a 5-day turnaround from order to report.
Pharmaron’s cell-based assays vary in complexity according to project goals. We work with immortalized cell lines, disease-relevant primary cells, and advanced 3D models such as organoids derived from PDX tumors. These advanced cell biology readouts provide robust and clinically relevant findings.
Our unmatched expertise in cell-based assay services enables us to offer unparalleled functional assays and phenotypic screening with over 2,000 cell lines at our disposal:
Cell Models
- Human cancer cell lines
- Human normal cell lines
- Rodent cancer cell lines
- Organoids
- Primary cells (whole blood, immune cells, microglia, etc.)
- Drug-resistant cell lines
- iPSCs (cardiomyocyte, neuron, etc.)
- Engineered cell lines
Our cell line engineering department supports the development of cell-based assays.
Capabilities
Phenotypic Screening
- Monolayer, 3D spheroid, organoid, co-culture cell-based assays
- Primary cell and stem cell assays
- High-content & real-time imaging
- Cell Painting
- Cellular disease models
- Oncology
- Neurology
- Immunology
- Metabolic Disorders
- Cardiovascular Disorders
- Fibrosis
Cell-Based Functional Assays
- Oxidative stress
- Membrane potential, current, and field potential
- Ion flux
- Protein degradation
- Post-translational modifications
- Second messengers
- Cell morphology
- Cell activation and differentiation
- Cell organelles
- Cell metabolism
- Cell migration
- Protein location and translocation
- DNA damage and repair
Mode of Action (MoA) Studies
Downstream Functional and Signaling Pathway Assays
- Cytokine release analysis (ELISA, AlphaLISA, Luminex, MSD, CBA, O-link)
- Gene and protein-based signaling pathway exploration
- Immunoprecipitation, coimmunoprecipitation
- CHIP, CUT & Tag
- Stress-related pathway exploration
- Cell painting
- Drug resistance mechanism investigation
- Bioinformatics-based data mining
- Biomarker discovery and screening
Target Engagement
- NanoBRET for multiple target classes
- NanoBiT-based protein: protein interaction
- Fluorescent probe-based high-content assay
- Radioligand binding
- Cellular thermal shift assay with various readouts
- Flow cytometry
- Mass spectrometry
Bioinformatics
- Molecular docking
- Genomics analysis
- Proteomics analysis
- Image analysis
- Modeling and machine learning
- Predictive metrics