Press Release
16th February 2010
CAMBRIDGE, UK
CellCentric heads new collaboration with Sigma-Aldrich, The Automation Partnership and leading epigenetic researchers
The University of Cambridge, UCL (University College London), CellCentric, Sigma-Aldrich and The Automation Partnership embark on a collaboration to define markers of epigenetic reprogramming, supported by £1.1m from the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board.
CellCentric, the biotechnology company unlocking epigenetic control mechanisms, has led a consortium in winning a competitive award of £1.1m to support research into the definition of markers of epigenetic change.
CellCentric will work with Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith and Dr Ludovic Vallier at the University of Cambridge, and Professor Stephan Beck at the UCL Cancer Institute, London. The research and its translation into product opportunities will be supported by CellCentric, Sigma® Life Science (a division of Sigma-Aldrich) and The Automation Partnership (TAP). Novel tools for understanding epigenetic processes are a rapidly growing sector, estimated to be expanding by 80% CAGR and predicted to be worth over $330m by 2013 (BCC Research).
Epigenetics is the modification of DNA and its associated proteins. The epigenetic imprint is dynamic and plays a key role in cell fate control. When epigenetic processes go awry, disease can result. Conversely, by modulating the epigenetic imprint mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent, and thus have characteristics of stem cells.
A key unmet need is the availability of reliable markers to measure epigenetic-related reprogramming events within cells. Such tools will be required for monitoring the quality of induced pluripotent (iPS) cells and their differentiation potential. This new collaboration will address this issue, which not only has implications for regenerative medicine, but also has cross over in identifying novel markers of disease, and improving disease modelling and drug screening.
Funding for the programme is provided by the industry partners and by the Technology Strategy Board. The TSB is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the UK government to promote and support research into, and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation, in order to increase economic growth and improve the quality of life.
Professor Anne Ferguson-Smith, Professor of Developmental Genetics at the Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge commented:
“This exciting new collaboration will help accelerate our understanding of how epigenetic changes with functional relevance can be profiled and monitored during induced pluripotency. As this area expands, the need for reliable methods to measure iPS cell change will be essential. I am really looking forward to working with this partnership.”
Dr Will West, CEO of CellCentric, said:
“The relevance of epigenetics to a range of commercial applications is growing. Better methods and tools for measuring and monitoring epigenetic changes within cells are going to be key to translating research into commercial opportunities.”
Dr Dave Smoller, President of Sigma-Aldrich’s Research Biotech Business Unit, added: “Epigenetics is a key growth area and iPS cells in particular have emerged as immensely useful tools for the modelling of human diseases, therapeutics R&D, regenerative medicine and the development of personalized cell replacement therapies. Sigma-Aldrich has made it a priority to provide definitive biological products and services for the iPS cell research community. Through working together with such a well positioned consortium, we hope to deliver new methods and tools to aid researchers and accelerate the products of the future.”
