Med-Tech Innovation University News
NEWS FROM THE UNIVERSITIES Manchester University spin-out tackles COPD
A unique, non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tool is being developed by the University of Manchester’s spinout company Bioxydyn. It has the potential to improve the treatment of lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, cystic fibrosis and emphasema and aid cancer specialists and neuroscientists. COPD is the world’s third biggest killer. Bioxydyn’s diagnostic imaging technologies could change the way lung disease is diagnosed and monitored by providing non-invasive regional assessments of lung ventilation/perfusion ratio (V/Q) and measures of changes in pulmonary vascular function. Bioxydyn is also developing powerful MRI based oncology tools for quantifying tumour oxygenation and oxygen metabolism. By providing unique non-invasive characterisation of the oxygenation status of tumours its technologies will aid therapeutic decision-making and provide additional information for assessing the response of tumours to intervention.
Commenting on the new technology, Professor Geoff
Parker, Bioxydyn Director, said, “There currently simply isn’t an inexpensive or practical 3D lung imaging technique
MATCH zooms in on user needs
MATCH’s Project III programme for the next three years is focused on developing methods capable of accurately assessing user needs and presenting the data in ways industry can use. MATCH, the Multidisciplinary Assessment of Technology Centre for Healthcare, is a collaboration between four UK universities: Birmingham, Brunel, Nottingham and Ulster. “We are developing a framework, locating a range of self care devices to help us think systematically about important practical and conceptual issues such as adherence,” reports Dr Julie Barnett. “Rather than assuming users are similar to each other we will also explore variations in device use across different types of users and the implications of this.”
MATCH is also working on an on-line tool to assist companies in choosing the best methods for
establishing user requirements for a particular device. Two other programmes have also begun, aligned to Project III. One is
exploring “cognitive prosthetics” for people with dementia. Researchers have developed a solution that uses mobile phone technology to deliver video based reminder messages to the user at appropriate times. The second project is developing techniques for eliciting user perspectives and exemplifying the value of including their needs in the development, production and marketing of medical devices. Early work is focused on interacting with users to discover reasons for variations in adherence and the extent to which these are linked to features of the device itself.
www.match.ac.uk
04 ¦ April 2011
available that can capture the structure and function of the lung, so we feel we’ve got something the market will want quickly. Lung diseases and disorders are so commonplace, with COPD affecting 80 million people and causing 3 million deaths worldwide each year.”
Professor Parker continued, “We’ve
some exciting interest from major pharmaceutical players, so the race is on to develop our products and engage with the market to bring this to a commercial reality as soon as possible.” Professor Parker, who is also Director of the University of Manchester’s Biomedical Imaging Institute, has been named by the Institute of Public Policy Research as one of 50 “Northern Lights” in recognition of his work with Bioxydyn. In 2010, Bioxydyn was named as Startup of the Year at the Northwest Biomedical Awards.
www.umip.com
CT screening trial
Researchers at the
University of Liverpool are investigating if a lung cancer
screening programme could be
implemented effectively in hospitals
and cancer centres across the UK. A pilot UK lung screening (UKLS) trial will help them assess if the existing expertise and technology at these centres could support a large-scale screening programme, similar to systems already in place for breast cancer detection.
Professor John Field, Chief Investigator of UKLS at Liverpool University’s Cancer Research Centre, said, “Although the number of deaths from lung cancer is falling, it still kills more than 35,000 people each year in the UK, which is more than any other cancer. “The success of CT screening trials could potentially lead to the implementation of a national lung cancer screening programme, which could have an enormous impact on the future of all lung cancer treatment strategies.”
www.liv.ac.uk
www.med-techinnovation.com
Professor Geoff Parker, Director of Bioxydyn
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54