In this webinar, Dr Burgener shares how Agilent technologies, including the Cytation 5 Cell Imaging Multimode Reader, have advanced her inflammasome research by enabling high-throughput live-cell imaging over time – providing dynamic insights into inflammasome activation and signalling outputs.

What you’ll learn:

• The role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in immune defence and sterile inflammation
• Key mechanisms: CASP1 activation, cytokine release, gasdermin D cleavage, and pyroptosis
• Limitations of single-endpoint assays in inflammasome research
• How live-cell imaging enables temporal analysis of ASC speck formation, cytokine secretion, and cell death
• Newly established, standardised assays for tracking inflammasome activation in real-time

Recently, Dr  Michael Smout from James Cook University, provided an insightful webinar where he delved into his pioneering research on parasitic worms and their potential in advancing wound healing therapies. Central to his studies is the Agilent xCELLigence Real-Time Cell Analysis (RTCA) system, a cutting-edge technology that enables continuous, label-free monitoring of live cells. ​

Dr. Smout’s work focuses on the granulin protein secreted by parasitic worms, exploring its role in accelerating wound healing—a discovery that holds promise for treating chronic wounds, particularly in diabetic patients.

• Application of xCELLigence RTCA in monitoring cellular responses to parasitic proteins.​
• Insights into the therapeutic potential of parasite-derived compounds in wound healing.​
• Discussion on the integration of real-time cell analysis in parasitology research.

The Agilent xCELLigence RTCA system is a state-of-the-art platform that provides real-time, label-free analysis of cellular events. By measuring electrical impedance across microelectrodes integrated into the bottom of specialised plates, the system offers dynamic monitoring of cell proliferation, morphology, and viability. ​ Key features include:​

• Continuous, non-invasive monitoring of live cells.​
• High sensitivity and reproducibility in detecting cellular changes.​
• Versatility across various applications, including cytotoxicity, cell adhesion, and migration assays.​

This technology has been instrumental in advancing research across multiple disciplines, providing researchers with a deeper understanding of cellular behaviours in real-time.