Life-saving drugs focus of Sheffield project
Donnerstag, 18 März 2010
Joint expertise between Sheffield University and local laboratory equipment specialist company LabLogic Systems could mean faster development of life-saving drugs.
Scientists in the University's Department of Physics and Astronomy hope to develop a new generation of the BetaRAM detector, the device leading the market for tracking pharmaceuticals through the body since it was produced 20 years ago. The detector is among lab equipment developed and distributed by LabLogic Systems.
Experts can track the drug through the body or measure its concentration in an organ to see what effect it has, thanks to BetaRAM devices called photo-multipliers. These can detect minute amounts of light coming from radioactive isotopes used to tag drugs in tests. The university scientists use more sophisticated photo-multipliers to track sub atomic particles, among other things. They hope to develop a new generation of BetaRAM detectors which would allow potential drugs to be investigated with greater accuracy and speed, making them available to patients sooner.
LabLogic Managing Director, Richard Brown said: "The University knows the latest in photo-multiplier technology and LabLogic has 20 years’ experience of how it is applied in drug research. That makes a good basis for our collaboration.
Find out more at www.lablogic.com