A new technology in histopathology delivers new unprecedented information

SkinSysTec GmbH (Magdeburg, Germany), a company commercialising a topological proteomics technology for dermatological applications, has achieved scientific acknowledgement with a paper in the October issue of the prestigious scientific journal Nature Biotechnology*.
Unlike the genome, the proteome is in a constant state of change but the proteins are not randomly distributed within cells or tissue. Their precise location and specific inter-relationships are pivotal to cellular function or dysfunction. This topology of protein networks depends on timing, gene expression patterns and cellular environment. A key drawback of conventional proteomic analysis is the inability to correlate cellular localisation of proteins with cellular function. This may be one reason for the high rate of failure among drug targets in clinical development.
Using MELC technology means exploring these functional protein networks and taking into account the necessary spatial element. This approach provides the highest possible information, because the analyses includes data of quantitative numbers and physical protein-protein interactions and also data about the collocation of proteins within their functional network.
SkinSysTec was founded at the end of last year to apply the MELC (Multi Epitope Ligand Cartography) technology of MelTec GmbH & Co KG (Magdeburg, Germany) for drug discovery and diagnostic usage of skin diseases. Dr Ansgar Pommer, chief scientific officer of SkinSysTec, commented: " On one single tissues sample - one-section - we can employ up to 100 antibodies, while preserving the sub-cellular structure and organization of the sample. So, instead of thousands of single experiments we need only one."
MELC is a multiple and direct immunofluorescence technology that can be automated to investigate up to hundred of different proteins in single cells simultaneously for their distribution through time and space. Coupled with digitalized microscopy, MELC can establish specific patterns (collocation maps) that indicate disease-related changes in cells, which can be used as biomarkers for dermatological diagnostics or as tool in the drug discovery and development processes.
“Our Imaging-Cycler is a robotic whole-cell imaging technology that successfully integrates cell biology and biomathematics to a powerful tool to localize proteins in a structurally intact cell or tissue”, added Lars Philipsen, Head of Technology-Development at MelTec Gmbh & Co.

About SkinSysTec
SkinSysTec GmbH is a privately held bio-medical service company focusing on computer assisted multi-epitope direct immunofluorescence analysis of skin and blood samples. The venture was founded in December 2005 and is located on the campus of the medical faculty of Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.
Contact: info@skinsystec.de, Web: www.skinsystec.com

*Analyzing proteome topology and function by automated multidimensional fluorescence microscopy, Walter Schubert, Bernd Bonnekoh, Ansgar J Pommer, Lars Philipsen, Raik Böckelmann, Yanina Malykh, Harald Gollnick, Manuela Friedenberger, Marcus Bode & Andreas W M Dress; Published online:01. October 2006, http://www.nature.com/nbt/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/nbt1250.html

Olaf Stuhldreier, CEO

SkinSysTec GmbH
ZENIT Technology Park
Leipziger Str. 44
39120 Magdeburg

Tel.: +49 (391) 61 17-260
Fax: +49 (391) 61 17-262

Web: http://www.skinsystec.com
E-Mail: info@skinsystec.de

SkinSysTec GmbH is a privately held bio-medical service company focusing on computer assisted multi-epitope direct immunofluorescence analysis of skin and blood samples. The company was founded by Prof. Harald Gollnick and Prof. Bernd Bonnekoh (Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Otto-von-Guericke-University, Magdeburg) and Dr. Ansgar J. Pommer in December 2005. The company is located on the campus of the medical faculty of Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg.

MelTec, founded in 1999, is a pioneer in topological proteomics. MelTec developed the Imaging Cycler® as Ultra High Content Analysis Reader with a fully integrated software supporting scientists working with the highly complex topological proteomics datasets.

This release was published on openPR.