Adelaide (Australia) and Paris (France), December 7, 2016 – GeneWorks Pty. Ltd. (Managing Director Peter Guilhaus) and Alvéole (CEO Romuald Vally) have entered into a Distribution Agreement for marketing and supporting Alvéole’s revolutionary multi-protein photopatterning technology – PRIMO.
For many years, studying the influence of the microenvironment on intracellular and intercellular mechanisms has been essential for research in cell and medical biology. Among the methods for controlling this microenvironment is the rapidly developing process of “micropatterning”, which involves creating protein patterns on which living cells are cultivated. However, current micropatterning techniques are tedious, complex and non-quantitative. Based on this finding, the scientists at Alvéole developed an innovative multi-protein photopatterning technique – PRIMO – to make experimental manipulations easier for researchers.
The PRIMO technique is based on LIMAP* technology (Light Induced Molecular Adsorption of Proteins) and combines a UV illumination system controlled by a dedicated software (called “Leonardo”) and a specific photo-activatable reagent (PLPP). Working together, these two key system components make it possible to generate, in only a few seconds, any multi-protein pattern on standard cell culture substrates.
It therefore opens up new possibilities for multiple areas of application, such as stem cell research, and cell-based assays for drug development and predictive toxicology.
Peter Guilhaus, Managing Director of GeneWorks, said “We’re delighted to be chosen as Alvéole’s first distribution partner. Their unique technologies in the area of protein micropatterning will enable researchers to control several parameters in the cell microenvironment and study their impacts on cell development. We are looking forward to working together with Alvéole to bring this new solution to cell researchers in Australia.”
Romual Vally, CEO of Alvéole said “I’m very glad that Peter Guilhaus and his company GeneWorks are our first distributor. Peter and his team understand the challenges we are faced on and want to contribute to implement our new technology in cell biology labs. Australia is a large country with a very dynamic community of researchers in the field of cell micropatterning.”
About GeneWorks:
GeneWorks Pty Ltd, established in 1996, is a major Australian supplier of leading-edge molecular biology research products. Centrally headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia with sales offices in all Australian key cities GeneWorks services and supplies the Australian and New Zealand markets with a select range of innovative leading edge equipment, reagents, consumables and associated services.
Contact: Tetyana Shandala, Product Manager Alvéole, Tel: +61881596250, E-mail: tetyanas@geneworks.com.au
About Alvéole:
Alvéole was founded in 2010 by three researchers from CNRS in collaboration with Quattrocento, a “creator of companies” in the life sciences field that enables academic researchers to transform their inventions into commercial products.
Vincent Studer (a microfluidics specialist), Maxime Dahan (a cell imaging specialist) and Jean-Christophe Galas (a specialist in nanostructures), have collaborated since 2008 to develop tools for research in cell biology. In 2016, after 6 years of industrial development, Alvéole launched its first product, PRIMO, a photopatterning device that allows biologists to create protein patterns for cell-based assays with applications in cell biology and medical research.
The company, currently undergoing expansion, now comprises 12 people, 5 of whom are devoted to research and development.
For more information: alveolelab.com and geneworks.com.au
