Last checked at 16 Nov 2009 07:00
Physiomics Plc
("Physiomics" or "the Company")
Physiomics to present on collaboration with Swansea University at the 2009 AACR-EORTC-NCI "Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics" Conference
Physiomics (AIM: PYC), the Oxford, UK based systems biology company, is pleased to announce that it will be participating in the AACR-EORTC-NCI "Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics" Conference, taking place at the Hynes Convention Centre, Boston, MA, USA on 15-22 November 2009. Dr Eric Fernandez, senior scientist at Physiomics, will present results on a collaborative research program with the group of Dr Shareen Doak at Swansea University's Institute of Life Science ('ILS').
This collaborative work has led to the design of a mathematical model of the cell cycle describing the effect of Nocodazole, an antineoplastic agent that blocks tumour cells and induces apoptosis (programmed cell death). Using the Physiomics cell population simulator SystemCell® on the "Blue C" high performance computer of the ILS, it was possible to reproduce the Nocodazole effects measured experimentally at the ILS. The simulation platform is particularly well-suited for the design of optimal drug schedules for anti-mitotic agents.
The abstract ("Computer modelling of Nocodazole exposure on cell cultures in vitro", No A35) will be published as an online-only supplement to the AACR journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics in late November 2009 and will be presented in the "Bioinformatics" poster session, scheduled 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM, 16 November 2009.
More information about the conference may be found at:
www.aacr.org/home/scientists/meetings--workshops/molecular-targets-and-cancer-therapeutics.aspx
Enquiries:
Physiomics plc
Dr Christophe Chassagnole, COO
+44 (0)1865 784980
Swansea University
Ms. Sian Newman, Communications Manager, ILS
+44 (0)1792 602362
WH Ireland Limited
Katy Mitchell
+44 (0)161 832 2174
Information on Physiomics plc
Physiomics (AIM:PYC) is a computational systems biology services company applying simulations of cell behaviour to drug development to reduce the high attrition rates of clinical trials. As 80-90 per cent of all clinical drug candidates fail to reach the market, estimates1 show that an overall ten per cent improvement in success rates could reduce the cost of one drug's development by as much as $242 million, from the current estimate of around $800 million.
Physiomics develops computational systems biology models to predict and understand cancer drug efficacy from pre-clinical research to clinical development. Physiomics has created detailed mathematical models incorporating the most important molecular events taking place during the human cell cycle and apoptosis processes. The company's SystemCell® technology enables the simulation of populations of "virtual cells". The models are used to optimise compound design, as well as to design drug schedules and combination therapies.
Physiomics, based in Oxford, UK, was founded in 2001, and floated on AIM in 2004. For further information, please visit www.physiomics-plc.com
SystemCell® is a registered trademark of Physiomics plc
1Tufts Centre Impact Report 2002
Information on Institute of Life Science (Swansea University)
http://www.swansea.ac.uk/ils
Born out of the success of the School of Medicine at Swansea University, the Institute of Life Science (ILS) is both a concept and a physical space. Its aim is the application of interdisciplinary science to health and medicine and the coupling of medical advance with economic development. With this in mind, the ILS marks the beginning of great new things for Wales's innovative researchers and business developers alike.
Life science is recognised as one of the most fertile sources of technology transfer in the world, giving the ILS the potential to create significant economic wealth. Opportunities are arising from areas such as research collaboration, intellectual property licensing, spinout companies and inward investment and, in readiness for these, the ILS is well equipped. With state-of-the-art laboratories as well as a dedicated Business Development Centre, complete with Business Incubation Suites and a specialist external relations team, the focus here is on building long-term commercial-academic links and making first-class medical progress.
Research at the ILS investigates all aspects of the science of life, from the fundamental molecular characteristics of diseases and treatments through to healthcare delivery and the efficient practice of medicine. Pioneers in laboratory-based bio-medical research work together with colleagues in health services and public health research on complex health issues that have both biological and social elements, such as diabetes and mental health disorders, and the outcome of these collaborations is a more rounded understanding of human health.
The emphasis at the ILS is high quality inter- and multi-disciplinary research. The work reflects the post-genomic era, in which scientists have a near complete picture of the human genome at hand and can start collaborating in order to identify the complex genetic background of many diseases and start improving treatments. It is also an era of increasing healthcare delivery challenges, such as hospital-acquired infections and insufficient data collation. The ILS is responding to these challenges and many others with innovative zeal, focusing on discovering radical ways to treat disease and deliver healthcare. In short, it is taking medical advances from the laboratory into hospitals, surgeries and homes.
As well as traditional research, the ILS and Swansea University also provide a unique infrastructure for computational biology. This is centred on the Blue C supercomputer, one of the very few supercomputers in the world dedicated to life science research, which has been given a permanent home at the university as part of a high profile collaboration with IBM. The agreement is part of IBM's continued commitment to the healthcare and life science sectors and it is also a part of the company's strategy of forging relationships with some of the world's leading research organisations.
The computer can perform calculations that would take hours or even days on an existing computer - its current average speed is 2.7 teraflops (this is an industry-recognised measure of high performance). The use of supercomputing to drive forward medical treatment is at the forefront of both genetic and molecular laboratory-based research and it is also revolutionising community-based healthcare studies by bringing together disparate sets of information on patients and trends. By bringing these aspects together, supercomputing will one day enable doctors to tailor treatment individually to each patient's needs.