CINA
Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics
The Center for Cellular Imaging and NanoAnalytics (C-CINA) is being established to pursue the goal of SystemsX.ch to acquire quantitative information on cells and organisms and to expand our understanding of biological systems.
The center will provide measuring and imaging techniques for nanoscale cell biology. Tools and methods will be developed and established to image single cells at nanometer scale resolution and to determine the proteome of single cells by high-throughput visual proteomics. Such tools will be available to the partners of SystemsX.ch, and constantly developed to meet SystemX.ch's needs.
NCCR – an excellent knowledge platform
Strong expertise in nanoscale science is essential for state-of-the art cellular nanoanalytics for systems biology: the Basel based National Center of Competence in Research (NCCR) "Nanoscale Science" is an excellent knowledge platform for such developments.
The C-CINA will become a partner in this consortium. Moreover, the C-CINA will closely collaborate with ETH's Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering (D-BSSE). Electron microscopy (EM) is used to visualize supramolecular complexes, organelles and cells. Cryo-electron tomography of vitrified cells is currently the only method to assess the biological machinery involved in signal transmission and gene regulation in the cellular context, at nanoscale resolution. This noninvasive three-dimensional imaging technique is a unique method to unravel the architecture of biological systems.
| Principal Investigator | Prof. Henning Stahlberg, Biozentrum, University of Basel |
| Involved Institutions | University of Basel, EPF Lausanne, ETH Zurich |
| Number of Research Groups | 7 |
| Project Duration | Oct. 2009 - Sept. 2013 |
| Approved SystemsX.ch funds | CHF 4.039 million |
Updated September 2012
