Recently, a special laboratory was opened for cell research at the Matís Biotechnology Center in Verin in Sauðárkrókur, and Dr. Hólmfríður Sveinsdóttir at Matís oversees the laboratory.
Líftæknismiðjan always employs four specialists from Matís, three from the Division of Biotechnology and Biotechnology and one from the Division of Processing and Value Added. Líftæknismiðjan conducts highly specialized research on the bioactivity of marine biomaterials, and Matís' goal is to make the laboratory one of the best in the world in this field.
Bioactivity can include anti-cancer, antihypertensive and antioxidant activity. The perfect equipment for measuring bioactivity measured already exists in vitro situations (in test tubes) performed under the direction of Dr. Patriciu Hamaguchi. Since in vitro research has shown good results, there is great interest in examining bioactivity in more detail in cell models where in vitro bioactivity measurements have been criticized for their ability to predict activity in biological systems. A measurement method is already being developed to evaluate the antioxidant activity of fish peptides in Hep G2 cells.
This is an important step forward in the bioactivity of fish and marine products and is necessary for the next stage of this research, which involves clinical trials in animals and humans.