New techniques for drug testing and development.
Neurological conditions such as stroke and Alzheimer’s disease are devastating for individuals and pose a growing problem for society as a whole. Research into these conditions has been limited by the fact that the brain tissue used for experimentation is short-lived. Researchers in Biological Sciences found a way to artificially grow rodent brain tissue samples that can last for several months, allowing scientists to mimic more closely what happens to diseased brains and examine changes over a longer timeframe.
In response to increasing demand from pharmaceutical companies to test potential new drugs, spin-out company Capsant was established in 2002 by academic founders Dr Lars Sundstrom, Dr John Chad and Dr Ashley Pringle.
Research success has led to filing of patents, and branding of the system as OrganDOT™. The rights to use the OrganDOT intellectual property have now been out-licensed commercially.
For more information, visit "Advancing Drug Discovery through the Development of 3D Mini-Organs".
Activotec: using chemistry technologies for new drug treatments.
Exosect: reducing the use of insecticides in food production.