AAV Vector Unit (AVU)

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Who we are

The AAV Vector Unit at ICGEB (AVU) is a Core facility with more than 20 years of expertise in advanced adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector production. We support a broad range of collaborators and research applications, consistently delivering reproducible, high-quality results that contribute to high-impact scientific publications.

Our team of highly specialised staff provides research-grade, high-quality AAV vectors tailored to your experimental needs. AAV vectors are prepared by dual- or triple-plasmid transfection in HEK-293T cells. The cis-acting AAV plasmid that contains the gene of interest flanked by AAV terminal repeats (provided by the client or present in the AVU stocks) is co-transfected along with plasmid/s providing in trans the genes for the functional and structural proteins, rep and cap, respectively, and the adenovirus helper genes.

AAV Facility
The AAV Vector Unit Facility at ICGEB Trieste

Why Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors:

The AAV vectors represent a versatile and efficient system for gene transfer in vitro. They are particularly well-suited for targeting post-mitotic tissues in vivo, including the lung, heart, liver, skeletal muscle, central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), retina, and kidney. Developed almost four decades ago, starting from a widely diffuse, non-pathogenic, replication-defective human Parvovirus, AAV is now considered one of the most effective systems for gene therapy and an ideal vector for experimental pre-clinical studies.

What we offer:

  1. Competitive pricing and no compromise on quality.
  2. Fast turnaround times to keep your project on track.
  3. Scientific Support at Every Step: Our experienced scientific staff collaborates directly with your team to refine vector design and experimental parameters. We provide ongoing technical guidance to help maximise transduction efficiency, specificity, and reproducibility.
  4. Multiple serotypes available (AAV1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6.2, 6.2FF, 7, 8, 9, 10, DJ, Retro, PHP.eB)* for targeted delivery across different tissues and model systems.
  5. Scalable production platforms based on optimised transient transfection systems for consistent yields, with the option to choose between standard and custom preparation (see below).

* Availability of certain serotypes may be subject to third-party intellectual property rights; use will be assessed and agreed in compliance with applicable regulations and permissions.

Standard Preparations:

  • Titer: 0 × 10¹² – 5.0 × 10¹³ vg/mL*
  • Volume: 5 mL of purified vector
  • Buffer: PBS containing 0.001% Pluronic F-68
  • Purification: Standard method based on a single cesium chloride ultracentrifugation
  • Quality Control: Vector genome titration by qPCR

We can provide standard, off-the-shelf preparations consisting of pre-made small aliquots (250µl) available for pilot experiments or control experiments:

  • Standard preparations of AAV6-GFP and AAV9-GFP
  • Standard preparations of AAV6-Empty(CMV cassette) AAV9-Empty(CMV cassette)

* Maximum yield is not guaranteed and may vary depending on the specific transgene and/or capsid serotype utilised. Certain AAV serotypes are known to produce lower titers in relation to others. The purity, integrity, and overall quality of vector plasmids supplied by the Client may significantly affect viral production outcomes. The Facility shall not be held responsible for reduced yield, performance, or quality attributable to suboptimal plasmid materials.

Custom Preparations:

  • Scalable production with defined yield: Delivery of a specified amount of viral genomes (vg) tailored to your experimental needs.
  • Plasmid preparation: High-quality plasmid DNA production to support AAV vector generation.
  • Purification: Ultra-pure preparations obtained by double cesium chloride ultracentrifugation.
  • Advanced Quality Control: Full/empty capsid quantification, SDS-PAGE with silver staining, endotoxin testing, and mycoplasma testing.

How to access the service:

If you are interested in our service, please get in touch with [email protected] to discuss your request and requirements.

Scope Limitation:

The facility does not support clinical research programs involving AAV vectors. All services are intended for research use only.

For further information on this Facility contact:

Dr. Luca Braga, PhD
Group Leader of Functional Cell Biology
Head of the High-Throughput Screening (HTS) Facility
Email: [email protected]