Room temperature handling and no gelation phase allows our gels to support a wide range of 3D cell culture techniques and biomedical applications.
For Life Science
Our ready to use 3D hydrogels mimic the extra cellular matrix (ECM)
GrowDex is an animal free, ready to use hydrogel that mimics the extracellular matrix (ECM) and supports cell growth and differentiation with consistent results.
Bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo studies GrowDex can be used for 3D cell culture for spheroid and /organoids, in personalised medicine, regenerative medicine, organ-on-a-chip models, drug release studies, 3D printing and much more. GrowDex hydrogel is manufactured according to ISO13485.
3D cell culture, organoid formation & biopsies
Key to drug testing is being able to grow cells in an environment that resembles the human body and where cells retain their distinctive characteristics. It has been shown that both mechanical and chemical stimuli have a key impact on cell behaviour. The mechanical properties of our gels can be adjusted simply by dilution with media thus providing a controlled 3D environment. Long term culture of a wide range of cells and tissues from different sources is possible with spheroid and organoid formation providing researchers with a tool to model disease states such as cancer.
Personalised medicine
Screening platforms utilising patient derived cells or tissues provides opportunity for customised drug treatment, the aim being a better long term prognosis for the patient. Collaboration with leading institutes such as FIMM, has seen our hydrogels successfully implemented in such screening regimes. Being able to recover the cells post screening without damage enables gene and protein studies to be conducted providing further essential information.
Drug delivery vehicle
Biocompatible and animal free our gels provide an ideal vehicle for drug delivery. Molecules can be combined easily by mixing directly. The shear thinning properties make the gels suitable for injection directly to the target site. Whilst the high water content >95% facilitates easy diffusion and controlled release of the drugs. The mechanical properties ensures the gel remains at the site of injection making it an ideal biomaterial for drug release implants.
Tissue engineering
3D printing and cell encapsulation techniques drive advances being made in tissue engineering today. A microenvironment that supports cell viability and differentiation whilst retaining structural integrity is essential. Additionally, a hydrogel suitable for tissue engineering also needs shear thinning properties for easy printing, high water content for nutrient and drug diffusion and control of the mechanical properties. Our gels fulfil these requirements providing a supportive matrix to study cell-cell interaction, migration, wound healing and drug impact.
Organ-on-a-chip & microfluidic devices
As technology advances we have already seen the natural progression from 2D to 3D cell culture but the newest technological leap is toward organ-on-chip models. These models offer greater capacity to study, for example metabolic interactions. Shear thinning and mechanical properties of our gels make them ideally suited for use in these systems. The gel is not disrupted or washed away due to flow retaining its structure and cells can be recovered post culture by a one step process.