Free acces to: Thomson ISI, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Ovid.
The Immunology Department was created in 1969, when, at the initiative of Prof. Dr. Ioan Moraru, the institute’s Immunology Laboratory was founded, a natural result of the need to match the research to the reality of the development of immunology into an individualized science. The activity of this new laboratory was initially intended for theoretical and fundamental immunology research, focusing on experimental studies regarding the immunity of vertebrates and the genetic control of the immune response.
Prof. Dr. Ioan Moraru
The Immunology Laboratory was consolidated in 1973, by the addition of a new immunodiagnostics unit, which existed in the institute even back in 1969. Thus, two working teams were formed: Immunochemistry, run by Dr. Chem. Victor Ghetie, and Immunopathology, run by Dr. Rodica Lenkrei.
The scientific activity of the laboratory diversified and new fundamental studies were carried out, regarding the biosynthesis and catabolism of the immunoglobulines and the relation IgG - staphylococcus A protein, the latter being brought on by a collaboration with the University of Uppsala, Sweden. The immunochemistry research was completed by the immunopathology research referring to the mechanisms of some illnesses with an immune component and the characterization of the anti-poymerized albumin antibodies. At the same time, the immunopathology team was also carrying out an immunodiagnostics activity for the medical units inside the network, activity which was maintained by this team until present times.
Starting with 1975, the Immunology Laboratory is extended by the creation of the Cellular Immunology team, run by Dr. Andrei Sulica. The Nuclear Unit, run by Dr. Chem. Cornel Medeşan, was attached to this team. This unit attended to the entire institute. In this new formula, the research activity of the Immunology Laboratory also oriented itself towards studies which aimed at the characterization of the lymphocyte populations in the blood and lymphoid organs, and also at the characterization of the immunoglobulin receptors (Fc receptors) and of the cellular markers. Later of, beginning with 1980, the Cellular Immunology team will focus on the functional analysis of the NK, within the framework of collaboration with the US National Cancer Institute.
In 1979, the Microproduction Unit is set up within the laboratory, run by Dr. Chem. Cornel Medeşan. Gathering the members of the entire laboratory, this unit materialized a series of pursuits existing since 1972, through which they could produce reagents used in the experimental models (immune serums, reagents). The organized microproduction activity inferred inside the institute themanufacturing of certain products intended for sale to the clinical laboratories in the country. Thus, monospecific anti – light immunoglobulin chains serums, anti – total human protein serum, anti - IgD monospecific serum, and immunoplaques for dosing IgD, monospecific anti – C1q serum, and dosing immunoplaques, monospecific serum and immunoplates for dosing fibronectine, human lymphocyte separation medium (Sepcel), dosing kit for the anti – human albumin antibodies, kit for the radioimmunologic dosing of certain hormones and dosing kit for the immune complexes were manufactured. After 1984, the Microproduction Unit succeeded in imposing itself on the immunodiagnostics material market under the name COMASIM, trademark which holds the patents for the products manufactured in the institute. After stopping the unit’s activity in 1991, the only reagent which has continued to be reproduced until the present – but only for internal necessities – was the Sepcel separation medium.
In 1984, a new laboratory unit was created, the Immunomodulators team, run by Dr. Grigore Ghyka. This group had as a main direction the research and production of alpha interferon and of the human interleukin-2. The preparations made out of these cytokines and obtained in the laboratory were used in studies regarding the local treatment of cutaneous virosis, ocular virosis and epithelioma. Later, under the lead of Dr. Cornel Ursaciuc, other inhibitor substances of the malignant proliferation were studied – kinase inhibitors, within the framework of collaboration with the University of Leuven, Belgium.
In the same year, the Special inbred animal growth unit was created, run by Dr. Vet. Silvia Dima. After 1986, the unit is taken over by Biol. Gheorghe Savi, who will also lead a team of Experimental Models attached to the biobase.
Acad. Laurenţiu M. Popescu
In 1993, this unit constituted the animal source for the realization of monoclonal antibodies for the first time in the country’s history, by a group lead by Acad. Laurenţiu M. Popescu and made up of immunologists from the institute and from the Cellular and Molecular Medicine department of UMF "Carol Davila" Bucharest. In 1998 the modernization works started on the animal breeding spaces, so that in the present the biobase is functioning at international standards and holds animal breeds which are used for the research models in the institute’s sections or for commercialization.
Up to 1991, the Immunology Laboratory operated in the described structures, the group’s Immunochemistry research being centered on the study of immunotoxines and lectines, while the Immunopathology group, under the lead of Dr. Carmen Stroilă since 1982, oriented itself towards tumor immunology studies through the evaluation of the immune antitumor response and the standardization of certain immunodiagnostics techniques for malignant tumors.
In 1991, the Central Immunology team separated from the laboratory, constituting a distinct group which moved to the Virusology Institute. That same year, the Nuclear Unit drew out from the laboratory’s structure, and the Microproduction Unit was dissolved.
After 1992 the Immunology Laboratory became the Immunology Department, made up of the Immunochemistry Laboratory, run by Dr. Biol. Alexandru Bancu, and the Immunopathology Laboratory, run by Dr. Cornel Ursaciuc, the latter being subdivided into the Immunomodulators team (Dr. Cornel Ursaciuc), Immunodiagnostics (Biol. Dan Ciotaru), and Clinical Immunochemistry (Dr. Biol. Doru Gabor). The scientifical activity of the two laboratories gained an interdisciplinary character, both carrying out fundamental and applied studies, also based on collaborations with clinical units. These studies had as major objectives the investigation of the immune system’s cells, antitumor immunotherapy (with cytokines, immunotoxines, and enzymatic inhibitors), autoimmunity, murine experimental models of tumor immunology, investigative techniques for autoimmune illnesses and malignant tumors.
The Immunopathology Laboratory went on with its immunodiagnostics activity, and, since 1996, a part of the department’s specialists carry out immunologic tests in the Diagnostic Center of the institute. The immunodiagnostics activity is coordinated by Dr. Cornel Ursaciuc and consists of paid immunologic analysis for the clinical medical units of hospitals and ambulatory, from the entire country.
In 1999, the Flow Cytometry Unit was set up, annexed to the Immunopathology Laboratory. It carried out cellular investigation activities at the flow cytometer for all the departments of the institute, covering a wide range of areas of use of the technique: cellular immunophenotyping, cellular cycle and apoptosis, cellular calcium determinations, HLA-B27 phenotype determination. At the initiative of Conf. Dr. Mihai Hinescu, the unit was reopened in 2004, equipping it with a confocal microscope, becoming the Cytometry Unit, lead by Dr. Eugen Radu.
After the year 2000, the Immunochemistry Laboratory became the Immunobiology Laboratory, run by Dr. Bioch. Monica Neagu. The research conducted by this laboratory was focused towards the study of phagocyte activity, the dynamics of the intracellular Ca2+ ion, immunomodulars, the relation inflammation-tumor, and phototherapy. The Immunopathology Laboratory, lead by Biol. Dan Ciotaru, was concentrated on the study of the significance of immunodiagnostic tests in inflammations and autoimmune illnesses, the immunodiagnostic of malignant tumors, the characterization of T-regulating lymphocytes, the analysis of placental immunomodulating extracts, experimental models of therapy and autoimmunity..
In 2002, at the initiative of Acad. Laurenţiu M. Popescu, the Tumor Cells and Nucleic Acids Bank was founded, as a unit associated with the Immunology Department, destined to cryopreservation and the study of biological samples derived from blood and malignant tumors, harvested from neoplasia patients. The harvesting, sample processing and cryopreservation activity is coordinated by Dr. Bioch. Carolina Constantin. Organized in collaboration with UMF "Carol Davila" Bucharest, and open to cooperation with all the institute’s laboratories, the Bank is an objective with perspectives in the cellular and screening of cancer..
In 2005, at the initiative of Conf. Mihai Hinescu, scientific director of the institute, the Cytometry Unit was created within the department, intended for cellular imagistic studies, implying flow cytometry (analysis and sorting), fluorescence microscopy, confocal microscopy, cropping and arranging imapges with the help of a computer. The unit does not have its own specific team, but it is destined for the use of all the research groups of the institute that have interests in the area. The coordination of the unit and the supervision of the activities were carried out between 2005-2007 by Dr. Eugen Radu, and, since 2008, by Chem. Mihaela Surcel.
The year 2007 marks the beginning of the Immunogenomic Unit, backed up by funds from a project of the PN2 – Capacitati Programme. The unit is said to start working at full capacity at the end of 2009. Associated with the Immunopathology Laboratory and the Tumor Cells and Nucleic Acids Bank, the unit is destined, as a first step, for borderline oncology studies, internal medicine, pediatrics, rheumatology, transplantology etc. The unit will carry out genic analysis (genotyping, genic expression, mutations, sequencing) and determinations of soluble or cellular markers (tumor antigens, receptors, and cytokines). The unit will be coordinated by Dr. Radu Huică, and it will collaborate with the Pathology department and the Genetics laboratory, which backed up its instatement.
Since its foundation, in 1969, the Immunology Department has been run by Dr. Mircea Dumitrescu (1969-1972), Dr. Chem. Victor Gheţie (1972-1980), Dr. Andrei Sulica (1980-1991), Dr. Grigore Ghyka (1991-1992), Dr. Biol. Alexandru Bancu and Dr. Cornel Ursaciuc (1992-2000), Dr. Cornel Ursaciuc (2000 up to the present times).
Dr. Chim. Victor Gheţie
Dr. Andrei Sulica
Dr. Grigore Ghyka
Dr. Biol. Alexandru Bancu
Dr. Cornel Ursaciuc
Institutul National Victor Babes - www.ivb.ro - @ 2008