Gentronix Ltd., Manchester UK, has been awarded a grant of £147,552 by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Technology Strategy Board under the joint £180 million Biomedical Catalyst programme. The project funded by the award will look at the feasibility of developing a screening assay for compounds that may cause cancer as a result of epigenetic mechanisms.
December 18, 2012: Before being approved for use, chemicals such as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and consumer products have to be tested for genetic toxicity i.e. their potential to change the DNA sequence or the number of chromosomes in a cell. Exposure to genotoxic chemicals can lead to the development of cancers. They can be identified by routine screening tests used by laboratories such as Gentronix. There are also non-genotoxic carcinogens that alter patterns of gene expression without changing the number or sequence of chromosomes. There are currently no widely used screening tests available for these and they might only be identified in later animal exposure studies, which are time consuming, costly and come quite late in product development – an expensive time to fail.
Epigenetics is a relatively new field, concerned with the regulation of genes by chromosome modifications which don’t change the DNA sequence or chromosome numbers. Epigenetic changes can also lead to the development of cancers and it is this aspect of early toxicology screening that the team at Gentronix Ltd., led by Chief Scientist, Prof. Richard Walmsley will be looking to address under the award.
Gentronix CEO, John Nicholson said “Gentronix has an excellent track record of innovation, and though as a growing company we have to balance innovative research with customer priorities, the award of this grant gives us the opportunity to carry out important fundamental research; the results of which will allow us to make informed decisions about the commercial potential of an epigenetics-based assay as well as making a contribution to the science of genetics”.
About the Biomedical Catalyst
Announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in December 2011, The Biomedical Catalyst is a programme of public funding designed to deliver growth to the UK life sciences sector. Delivered jointly by the Medical Research Council and the Technology Strategy Board, the Biomedical Catalyst provides responsive and effective support for the best life science opportunities arising in the UK. The programme is open to UK academics and SMEs and seeks to support those opportunities which `` the highest scientific and commercial potential, irrespective of medical area. For further information please visit: http://www.innovateuk.org/content/competition/biomedical-catalyst.ashx
About the Technology Strategy Board
The Technology Strategy Board is the UK’s innovation agency. Its goal is to accelerate economic growth by stimulating and supporting business-led innovation. Sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), the Technology Strategy Board brings together business, research and the public sector, supporting and accelerating the development of innovative products and services to meet market needs, tackle major societal challenges and help build the future economy. For more information please visit www.innovateuk.org.
About Gentronix
Gentronix Ltd provides genotoxicity screening products and services for companies who develop new compounds in fields such as pharmaceuticals, agrichemicals, flavours and fragrances, personal care and consumer products. In addition to conventional genotoxicity testing, Gentronix uses its own patented assays, BlueScreen™ HC and GreenScreen® HC, which use human cells that have been genetically modified to give a sensitive and specific response when a chemical damages or interferes with its DNA. For further information please visit: www.gentronix.co.uk
Contact:
Dr Steve Beasley, Commercial Director – Gentronix Ltd
T +44 (0)161 603 7676, F +44 (0)161 606 7337
E [email protected]