Combined Novel 3-D Cell Culture and Biospectroscopy; personalising Osteoporosis therapeutics

Osteoporosis is an incredibly debilitating disease. More than 3 million people in the UK are estimated to suffer and it effects 1 in 2 women and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50. It leads to increased risk of bone fractures, reduced quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality. More that 40% of people who experience fractures live with long-term pain. The cost of osteoporosis to the NHS is around £1.5 billion, and up to 69,000 people are admitted as a result of hip fracture accidents each year. There is a clear need to improve predicting those who are at risk of developing osteoporsis and growing evidence that prescribing the appropriate treatment based on an individual's condition can lead to better management of osteoporosis, reduced risk of fracture and delay acute disease onset. Revivocell and Lancaster University plan to collaborate to develop a new method of early diagnosis that will not only assist clinicians to prescribe more effective therapeutics, but also inform at risk patients. The emerging techology is based on advances in combining cell culture technologies and spectrometry, to develop new techniques for improved diagnosis.