DKSH Teams Up with the University of Technology in Sydney for Their Space Project on Cellular Biology

DKSH Australia's Scientific Instrumentation Business Line has been working closely with a team of researchers at the University of Technology in Sydney (UTS). Following successful laboratory trials, UTS is launching its research on advance cellular biology to the International Space Station.

Media release

Melbourne, Australia, October 13, 2021 – In its Scientific Instrumentation Business Line, DKSH Business Unit Technology has been working closely with a team of researchers at the University of Technology in Sydney (UTS), who are leading a project studying advanced cellular biology. The key research objective is to better understand the effects of microgravity on four of the most aggressive types of cancer – ovarian, breast, nose and lung.

To continue the research Dr Joshua Chou and his team at UTS designed and developed Australia's first microgravity device. Similar to something astronauts would train in but scaled down to the size of a tissue box, the platform would allow researchers to study different diseases in a simulated microgravity environment. To enable this, the device incorporated specialized ibidi micro-patterned slides (µ-Slide I Luer) supplied by DKSH Australia, allowing various 2D and 3D cell analysis experiments to be conducted.

The results from the experiment, demonstrated that some cancer cells reduce in number under simulated microgravity conditions. “When placed in a microgravity environment, 80 to 90 per cent of the cells in the four different cancer types we tested – ovarian, breast, nose and lung – were disabled,” says Dr Joshua Chow. Prompting another research mission to launch it to the International Space Station and verify their findings.

Sean Barker, Product Manager for Life Science, DKSH Australia, commented: “The ibidi products used in this research are world-leading functional cell-based assays and technologies that assist researchers to understand cancer, cardiovascular conditions, and autoimmune diseases. We are also thrilled to see such pioneering work performed by researchers here in Australia and are honored to partner with such an innovative and quality focused company like ibidi.”

For further information, please contact:

DKSH Australia

Tina Thai

Specialist, Branding & Communications

Phone +61 481 964 137

tina.thai@dksh.com