Real-time antiviral drug screening, characterization, and safety assessment using the xCELLigence RTCA line of instruments

Across a broad array of research applications, virology assays typically monitor changes in the infected host cell over time.  The traditional methods for quantifying these virus-induced cytopathic effects are often labor intensive and only yield endpoint data.  Using gold biosensors that are integrated within microtiter plates, the xCELLigence RTCA family of instruments use impedance to continuously and non-invasively monitor virus-induced changes in host cell number, size, attachment strength, and barrier function.  This composite readout is an exceptionally sensitive means of tracking the entire life cycle of a virus and interrogating virus-host interactions.  In this webinar we will demonstrate how, despite having a simple workflow with minimal hands-on time, xCELLigence RTCA assays yield an abundance of quantitative kinetic information that is being used in both industry and academia for screening and characterizing antiviral drugs.  

The first section of the talk will focus on Agilent’s newest instrument, the xCELLigence RTCA eSight, which couples real-time impedance monitoring with live cell imaging in an information rich assay.  We will subsequently show that once drug candidates have been identified, their cardiac liability can be evaluated from aspects of electrophysiology, contractility and structure using the combined impedance and field potential readouts of the xCELLigence RTCA Cardio ECR instrument in conjunction with human iPSC cardiomyocytes.  

Collectively, this talk will demonstrate a paradigm-shifting workflow that can help populate R&D pipelines with drugs that are well characterized in terms of both efficacy and safety.  

For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.