Cancer Cell Laboratory

University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta
What the facility does

Research on natural products from Canadian native plants

Areas of expertise

Plants are an invaluable resource from which to discover new compounds for industrial or medical use, since there are excellent reasons to believe plants contain beneficial chemicals. The Cancer Cell Laboratory at the University of Lethbridge is one of the first laboratories to study the industrial and medical properties of native prairie plants. Our laboratory is ideally located in the prairie zone, and our researchers have the expertise to explore plants for novel biological activities.  We have a plant extract library that is unique in the world.


We believe that prairie plants contain important compounds because they need to protect themselves from insects, grazing animals and a harsh climate. A common source of protection is the synthesis of interesting chemicals.  In other countries, life-saving drugs have been discovered from plants. We expect to find life-saving anti-cancer drugs here in Canada by applying a methodical scientific approach under our Prairie to Pharmacy Research Program.

Research services

Human tissue culture modelling; measuring toxicity and biochemical pathways of natural products; cell imaging, compound testing, drug discovery, phenotypic assaying, training of highly qualified personnel ( HQP).

Sectors of application
  • Agriculture, animal science and food
  • Life sciences, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment
Equipment Function
Tissue culture facilities Cultivation of human cells for testing
Cell imaging High-value imaging of cells for testing and phenotypic assays
  • Pierre Fabre Laboratories (France)
  • Servier Laboratories (France)