Protea Partners with MatTek

Protea announced that the company has entered into an agreement with MatTek Corporation, which allows Protea to include MatTek’s human cell based in vitro tissue models with their proprietary molecular imaging services.  

“By combining the human tissue models with mass spectrometry imaging workflows, researchers will be able to visualize specific compounds in highly controlled experimental conditions, using human cell derived in vitro models,” stated Haddon Goodman, Vice President, Corporate Development.  He added, “For example, utilizing MatTek’s EpiDerm skin model, we can map the distribution of topical compounds, while also visualizing the distribution of biomolecules present in the tissue.

These experiments determine if a compound is penetrating the skin without using a tag or marker on the compound.” The in vitro models are easier to source, much more reproducible and more humane as compared to human or animal skin tissues.

MatTek is at the forefront of tissue engineering and the production of innovative 3D reconstructed human tissue models.  The relevance and reproducibility of EpiDerm and EpiOcular, MatTek’s corneal tissue model, produced results in international multi-laboratory pre-validation and validation studies that lead to acceptance by OECD as test methods for skin and ocular irritation and corrosion testing.

The companies plan to jointly present data at the 76th annual Society for Investigative Dermatology conference on April 26-29 in Portland, Oregon.  This work will highlight the benefit of integrating human cell-based tissue models with Protea’s mass spectrometry imaging workflows.  

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