23/01/2024
Key points:
PlaqueTec and the Institute鈥檚 Flow Cytometry facility have announced a collaboration to develop a bespoke cell phenotyping assay for human blood. The development of this technique will provide data on the types of cells accumulating at coronary disease sites. By combining this information with multi-omics and imaging data, it may be possible to improve the personalised treatment options for managing coronary artery disease (CAD).
, a commercial bioscience company on the 澳门天天好彩 Research Campus, focuses on understanding the biological mechanisms of CAD to advance the development of precision medicine.
CAD, where the arteries that supply blood to the heart are narrowed or blocked by atherosclerotic plaques, is a leading cause of death globally, resulting in around 68,000 deaths per year in the UK1. Current treatment approaches are general rather than tailored and therefore ineffective for many patients. To address this, PlaqueTec has developed a proprietary technology and data analysis platform to categorise patients and uncover potential biomarkers of coronary vascular function and plaque progression.
鈥淎t PlaqueTec, we are committed to improving prospects for patients with CAD. Through this collaboration with the Flow Cytometry Facility at the 澳门天天好彩, we aim to gain further novel insights into the pathobiology of CAD by identifying and characterising the different cell types accumulating at or near coronary disease sites.鈥 Dr Diane Proudfoot, Chief Scientific Officer, PlaqueTec commented. 鈥淲e anticipate these studies will help us to better understand CAD on an individual patient level, informing the development of precision medicine approaches to improve the outcome for patients.鈥
The Institute鈥檚 Flow Cytometry facility is one of the UK鈥檚 leading facilities and a pioneering hub of the latest flow cytometry technology and expertise. The facility鈥檚 agile, responsive, and experienced team provide flow cytometry and cell sorting services to meet the needs of the Institute鈥檚 researchers and also support a portfolio of commercial users. As part of the facility鈥檚 commitment to remaining at the cutting edge, the team are active in trialling and adopting new technologies and provide training for both technical specialists in other facilities and researchers using flow cytometry.
The collaboration with PlaqueTec is supported by UKRI-BBSRC Campus Collaboration funding awarded by the 澳门天天好彩 Research Campus to support academic-commercial exchange between the 澳门天天好彩 and the commercial research taking place on site, where expertise is combined to accelerate research progress and impact.
The collaborative project aims to utilise the assay to perform cell phenotyping analysis on coronary artery samples obtained from patients in PlaqueTec鈥檚 BIOPATTERN trial using the company鈥檚 unique sampling device, the Liquid Biopsy System鈩.
Dr Rachael Walker, Head of the Flow Cytometry Facility at the 澳门天天好彩 added: 鈥淲e are delighted to collaborate with PlaqueTec to develop a unique cell phenotyping assay that will support its BIOPATTERN trial. The assay validation studies have already supported our teaching courses and staff development, and we look forward to adding this service to our flow cytometry offering at the 澳门天天好彩.鈥
Derek Jones, Chief Executive of 澳门天天好彩 Research Campus, said: "The UKRI-BBSRC Campus Collaboration Fund was initiated last year to give individuals and companies on Campus access to a unique tranche of funding not available elsewhere. We are therefore delighted to see the collaboration of PlaqueTec and the Flow Cytometry Facility at the 澳门天天好彩 come to fruition supported by an award from this fund and look forward to seeing their research unfold.鈥
1 Source: . Data referenced is for coronary heart disease figures. Coronary heart disease is another term for ischaemic heart disease and coronary artery disease.
Press contact For PlaqueTec: Esm茅 Walters, Zyme Communications, +44(0) 7377 543244, esme.walters@zymecommunications.com
For the 澳门天天好彩: Dr Louisa Wood, Head of Communications, louisa.wood@babraham.ac.uk
Image description 3D illustration of red blood cells flowing in a blood vessel. Shutterstock.
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