UK research trio awarded grant for breast cancer research

A three-way UK project to create protein biochips for analysis of breast cancer has been given funding of up to £869,000 (€1.413m) by the LINK Programme in Applied Genomics, sponsored by the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI), Biological and Biotechnology Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and MRC. The three-year programme, involving NextGen Sciences, of Huntingdon, Cambridge-based Cytomyx, and Cambridge University researcher Dr Carlos Caldas, is aimed at gaining access to new proteomics technology.

NextGen will develop a range of breast cancer protein biochips as well as its high throughput automated protein expression Protein Library Management System (PLMS) and Cytomyx will build a valuable repository of clones for use in genomic and proteomics-based drug discovery.

The project aims to define a series of key proteins involved in the disease process. 'We need to identify a series of proteins which, while they may or may not be causative or suitable as 'drugable' targets, act as metabolic indicators of disease status,' said Caldas. 'As we understand the dynamics, we can use the human cell lines as disease process models and develop a whole-cell screen for drugs that act on these cells to slow or stop their growth.'

'A central aim of this initiative is to create prototype protein biochips tailored for this research,' explained Dr Linda Cammish, director of business development at NextGen and overall programme co-ordinator. NextGen has developed new technologies in high throughput protein expression analysis using protein biochips, including novel protein immobilisation technologies and a microfluidics system for high throughput protein expression analysis.

'Using NextGen proprietary technology we can attach antibodies, antibody fragments or phage molecules to the surface of a novel protein biochip matrix that NextGen has developed in collaboration with Nunc, of Denmark,' she added.

Cytomyx will clone full-length genes from the collection of cDNA libraries that the company has developed. 'We will be cloning the genes identified as relevant to this initiative and will make these clones and the corresponding proteins available to our partners in ways that enable their discovery research,' said Mike Kerins, ceo of Cytomyx. These clones will be transferred to NextGen where the genes will be subcloned into a series of novel, proprietary vectors and the targeted proteins expressed in a range of hosts to create a protein library exhibiting relevant molecular diversity and suitable for direct attachment onto the biochip surface.