Protea, VCU Collaborating to Improve Molecular Imaging For Various Diseases
Protea Biosciences has inked a collaborative research agreement with Virginia Commonwealth University and its Center for Molecular Imaging to conduct research with the aim of combining Protea's ex vivo molecular imaging mass spectrometry platform LAESI with VCU's in vivo molecular PET, SPECT and MRI/MRS imaging capabilities.
Through the collaboration, the partners hope to advance new methods of elucidating the molecular underpinnings of various cancers, Alzheimer's disease, and other illnesses. Protea and VCU announced the launch of this effort at the Annual World Molecular Imaging Congress held this week in Savannah, Ga.
According to Protea CEO Steve Turner, the aim of the collaboration is "to be able to obtain data on cellular changes at the molecular level, rapidly, and in tandem with existing imaging screening methods."
Protea's LAESI DP-100, or Laser Ablation Electrospray Ionization, can generate images of biomolecules present in living cells and bacterial colonies in seconds to minutes, the company claims. This allows clinicians to pinpoint and track the molecular changes that occur in cells over time.
Meanwhile, VCU's Center for Molecular Imaging has capabilities to design and synthesize radiolabeled compounds for PET and MRI, and has expertise in multi-modality imaging.
Cancer Genetics, Roche Servicios Jointly Educate Healthcare Providers in Central America, Caribbean
Cancer Genetics has expanded its partnership with Roche Servicios, a subsidiary of Roche, to develop workshops and training programs for healthcare providers at hospitals and cancer centers in Central America and the Caribbean.
For the past year, Cancer Genetics has been providing Roche Servicios diagnostic and prognostic cancer testing services used by clinicians based in 14 different locations in Central America and the Caribbean. "This new initiative is an extension of our existing work with Roche Servicios, and it aligns with our focus on bringing our genomic testing to the community setting," Panna Sharma, CEO of Cancer Genetics, said in a statement.
This new joint effort will add to Cancer Genetics' existing Expand Dx program, which helps grow the capabilities and efficiency of community labs. Cancer Genetics and Roche Servicios plan to implement workshops and training programs for healthcare providers in these regions so that they can improve the accuracy and quality of genetic-based diagnostics, and more readily embrace targeted tools to treat cancer.