The Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing is an academic center affiliated with the Division of Toxicological Sciences in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences of the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

 

Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

Abstract for TestSmart--Pharmaceuticals: An Efficient and Humane Approach to Predictors of Potential Toxic Effects of Drugs

In Vivo Biophotonic Imaging; Applications for Infectious Disease, Oncology and Gene Expression

Anthony F. Purchio
Xenogen Corporation

Xenogen's technology is based on the detection and quantification of light transmitted through living mammalian tissue. Microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses, as well as tumor cells are tagged with a luciferase gene and their growth is non-invasively monitored via photon counting over time. Gene expression in living transgenic animals can be monitored by using specific promoters of interest to drive luciferase. The technology is expected to have significant applications in cell therapy, cancer and inflammatory diseases.