INSTITUTE OF IMMUNOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

The Immunodiagnostic Laboratory of the Institute of Immunology and Biotechnology carries out analyses of blood samples from patients suffering from systemic and organ-specific autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency and allergies. Autoimmune diseases belong to the group of rare diseases, but the immunological mechanism is revealed in more and more cases. The nearly 50 autoimmune diseases affect 5-7% of the population. The laboratory is a regional centre, but serves as a national centre for the tests of certain autoimmune diseases. The laboratory operates according to MSZ EN ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 15189:2013 standards.

The routine diagnostic laboratory received a new infrastructure in 2015. It is equipped with 2 serological and 2 cellular laboratories. The serological tests are performed on a 3 BEP200 ELISA machines and on a Alegrai rapid machine. Immunoblotting tests are also performed automatically. They are linked to an optical semi-quantitative evaluation system. A FACSCalibur flow cytometer, a BioRad cell separator and an Olympus microscope are available for cellular studies. A modern cold room and storage areas are used for the storage of reagents.

Typically, we perform 330,000 interventions per year out of 20,000 patient samples (15,000 outpatients, 4,000 inpatients). The measurements are carried out by 4 laboratory assistants, 2 laboratory analysts and a biotechnology specialist. The evaluation of the results are carried out by 3 specialist doctors.

Our institute is a national centre which has almost 20 years of experience in the laboratory diagnostics of autoimmune diseases. Our speciality is in the diagnosis of immune-mediated neurological symptoms (autoimmune encephalitis, neuromyelitis optica (NMO), paraneoplastic neurological symptoms, Myasthenia gravis (MG)), but we also carry out diagnosis of other rare autoimmune diseases (blistering skin disease and kidney diseases).

We perform Quantiferon-TB tests and infectious serology tests for commencing and monitoring biological therapies.

EQUIPMENT FOR CLINICAL TRIALS

• 3 BEP 200 ELISA machines
• Alegria rapid ELISA machine
• FACSCalibur flow cytometer
• BioRad cell separation device
• Olympus fluorescence microscope
• Immunoblotting machine and scanner
• PCR device, gel documentation system for DNA testing
• sterile booth for sample preparation
• 2 refrigerators at (-80 °C)
• cold room (+4 °C )
• centrifuges
• storage cans of liquid nitrogen for storing cells
• CO2 incubator for growing cells

REFERENCE CLINICAL TRIALS

Created: 08/01/2019
Last updated: 22.08.2019