
Disease Modelling
Disease models can provide a platform to study the biochemical mechanisms of normal phenotypes and the processes that go wrong during disease conditions.
In vivo, in vitro and in silico (computer simulation) models are used. Kirkstall’s Quasi Vivo®system aims to support the development of more effective in vitro models and complements clinical research or computer models.
Models can help in the development and testing of new therapies. In many complex and often chronic human diseases, better research tools are needed to assess the effect of interventions on disease pathways.

Kirkstall’s Quasi Vivo® system provides many benefits that will contribute to the development of better (more predictive) models:
- Human cells, whether healthy or diseased, can be cultured for long periods (more than 28 days), allowing the development of the disease or the effect of repeated dose therapies to be studied.
- Complex pathways and interactions in co-culture of different cell types can be studied using the interconnected chambers that form the building blocks of Quasi Vivo®.
- Tissue slices, individual cells seeded on a scaffold or 2D simple culture on a cover slip can be used in easy-to-handle systems that deliver media in single pass or recirculating systems.
- Media perfusion has been demonstrated to improve cell viability, proliferation and function, even for difficult to culture cells such as human primary hepatocytes.
Supply of healthy human cells has always been problematic. Quasi Vivo® will work well with primary human cells from donor tissues, differentiated stem cells, tissue slices or even animal cells or cell lines, even though the latter are now recognised as being of limited value as a predictive tool for human responses.
Quasi-Vivo® is currently being used in a wide variety of disease and organ models including liver, kidney, cardiovascular, brain and respiratory epithelium. Contact our application specialists at expert@kirkstall.org to find out more on what has already been achieved and to be put in touch with other researchers in your field through the Quasi Vivo® user group.
Commercially available and used in 70+ labs worldwide, getting started is easy and cost effective
Contact Us
Address: Kirkstall, Ltd York House,
Outgang Lane, York
North Yorkshire, YO19 5UP
Phone: + 44 (0) 1709 361 241
Business Hours: Monday to Friday 9:00am-5:00pm (UK Time)