iPSC-based Assays

iPSC-based Assays

LIFE & BRAIN specializes in providing stem cell-based cell culture systems and customer-specific services for neurological disease modeling and compound development. Our expertise includes the generation of iPS cell-derived neuronal, macro- and microglial cell populations, iPS cell-based pathophenotyping and disease modeling, drug testing and the establishment of customized assay systems.


Expansion and QC of IPSCs
  • Expansion of customer-owned iPSCs
  • Acquisition of disease-specific iPSCs from cell banks
  • Molecular karyotyping
  • Pluripotenz assays
  • Methylation profiling
  • Further servives upon request

iPSC derivates

LIFE & BRAIN has implemented robust differentiation protocols for a number of derivatives and offers the following cell types:

  • Neural stem cells (lt-NES®)1
  • Microglia2
  • Excitatory neurons
  • GABAergic neurons
  • Sensory neurons

1Koch et al., PNAS 106:3225-30 2009; Doerr et al., Nature Comm. 8:14162, 2017
2Mathews et al., Stem Cells Rev. Rep. 19:455-474, 2023


Disease Models and Assay Development

Based on disease-specific and (isogenic) control iPSCs we develop customer-specific assays for disease modeling and drug  discovery in the field  of neurological and neuropsychiatric disease, including respective scale-up and QC modules.

Our read-out technologies include morphometric and immunofluorescence analyses, biochemical assays and functional analyses using multie-electrode-arrays (MEAs).

Rehbach et al., Sci. Rep. 69:1126-39, 2019; Ibach et al., Glia 69:1126-39, 2021; Wissfeld et al., Glia, 69:1393-1412, 2021; Wissfeld et al., Sci Rep. 11:13462, 2021; Semkova et al., Cells 11:1388, 2022; Mathews et al., Stem Cells Rev. Rep. 19:455-474, 2023


Compound Validation

We offer validation of candidate compounds using customized assays. Together with our strategic partner KSILINK SAS we further provide phenotypic screening and AI-based multiparametric image analysis.