NEWS
Human Functional Genomics Initiative set up with £28.5m
The Medical Research Council (MRC), in collaboration with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), has provided £28.5 million in funding to establish the Human Functional Genomics Initiative programme. It aims to advance our understanding of how genomic variation influences human physiology and how it changes over time and in disease. Professor Jonathan Mill from the University of Exeter Medical School will lead the initiative as its newly appointed Director. He will also contribute to shaping and supporting data coordination and integration in functional genomics both as part of the initiative and alongside the wider national and international functional genomics community. The £4.6 million Director’s award includes a fund for data coordination and networking, as well as collaboration across the interdisciplinary research clusters and external partners working in emerging areas of functional genomics research. £7 million from MRC will help establish a new functional genomics screening laboratory at the Milner Therapeutics Institute (MTI) in collaboration with AstraZeneca and the University of Cambridge. £16.9 million from MRC and BBSRC will support four research clusters in functional genomics. Professor Mill said: “This initiative will
catalyse research into the mechanistic underpinnings of health and disease by identifying causal variants and modelling their impact in disease-relevant cell-types across key stages of development. It will facilitate innovation and collaboration among multidisciplinary teams and accelerate the translation of functional genomic research into tangible benefits for health and wellbeing.” The functional genomics screening laboratory is overseen by MTI’s Head of Research Dr Nicola McCarthy and will enable collaboration with researchers by facilitating arrayed CRISPR genetic screening. Its initial focus will be on studying non-cancerous diseases such as those affecting the immune, cardiovascular, neuronal and respiratory systems. Screening campaigns will be performed as a collaboration, with MTI scientists providing expertise and technical support, as well as carrying out the screens.
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Stago UK introduces novel platelet-retrieving device
Stago UK is introducing a unique autotransfusion system, able to preserve functional platelets as well as red blood cells. It offers a safer alternative to scarce, risky and expensive blood transfusion products. Stago UK has partnered with i-SEP, one of France’s most innovative MedTech companies, to distribute its novel ‘same’ system. “A decreasing platelet
count is often the critical factor for patients suffering a major bleed,” explained Haseena Halai, UK business development manager, Stago Bleeding Management Solutions. “The arrival of ‘same’ provides an alternative to risky and costly allogeneic blood product transfusions and helps to reduce pressure on blood product supply.” Existing cell salvage technologies already
return blood to the patient with their own red blood cells, but the same device goes
one step further. “It is the only Intraoperative cell salvage device able to wash and recover both red blood cells and platelets, so that patients can safely receive back their own platelets rather than having to be transfused,” Haseena adds. The new autotransfusion system has been installed in Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital and already incorporated into surgical
protocols in the cardiac theatre. While existing autotransfusion devices
theoretically remove platelets from salvaged blood, other studies show small amounts are left in the treated blood but not evaluated in terms of function and levels of activation. In contrast, the 2023 i-SEP study found that the new auto-filtration system by same is capable of a ‘6- to 7-fold higher platelet yield’ when compared to centrifugation-based devices.
Diagnostics partnership for BD and Quest
BD (Becton Dickinson) and Quest Diagnostics have announced a global collaboration agreement to develop, manufacture and commercialise flow cytometry-based companion diagnostics (CDx) intended to help select the best treatment for patients with cancer and other diseases. Together, BD and Quest will aim to
provide the pharmaceutical industry with an end-to-end solution for CDx development. The joint offerings will range from exploratory panel development to the manufacturing and distribution of FDA- approved diagnostic kits. “BD has been at the forefront of flow cytometry innovation for a half-century, consistently leading advancements in this critical field,” said Steve Conly, Worldwide President of Biosciences at BD. “Our collaboration with Quest underscores a shared commitment to advance personalised medicine by leveraging this technology in the development of companion diagnostics to be used alongside therapeutic options for patients.”
“This strategic collaboration with BD
will combine our expertise in developing and validating biomarkers and assays with BD’s leadership in flow cytometry to offer a fully integrated solution on a larger scale,” said William Finger, Vice President and General Manager, Pharma Services for Quest Diagnostics. “Together, we can bring novel companion diagnostics to market that will enable more precise health care, to potentially improve patient outcomes and reduce health care costs.” Through its BioPharma services business, Quest Diagnostics offers end- to-end solutions for drug development, including clinical trial laboratory testing, companion diagnostic development, commercialisation, and post-launch surveillance.
SEPTEMBER 2024
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