“INDUSTRY PARTNERS FOR ALL” PROGRAMME – Building the Foundation for Pharmaceutical and Biotech Industry Engagement at the University of Leicester
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leicester
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
The MRC Proximity to Discovery scheme awards universities funds to help develop new collaborations, and ways of exchanging knowledge and skills. The awards can be used to support activities that promote the value of academic-industry partnership, and enhance academic and industry researchers’ understanding of each other’s needs and capabilities. This may be through people exchanges, creation of technology demonstrators, showcase events, commercialisation workshops and ‘entrepreneurs in residence’ schemes. Such exchanges of knowledge and skills will boost the most fruitful collaborations between UK universities and life science companies.
Organisations
- University of Leicester (Lead Research Organisation)
- Blackrock Microsystems LLC (Collaboration)
- PhenoSystems SA (Collaboration)
- Blueprint Genetics (Finland) (Collaboration)
- Affymetrix Inc. (Collaboration)
- Protexin (Collaboration)
- Novo Nordisk (Collaboration)
- BC Platforms AG (Collaboration)
- Resonance Health (Collaboration)
- Imagen Therapeutics (Collaboration)
- LifeArc (Collaboration)
- AstraZeneca (United Kingdom) (Collaboration)
- Medtronic (Collaboration)
- XenoGesis Ltd (Collaboration)
- Johnson & Johnson (Collaboration)
- Interactive Biosoftware (Collaboration)
- Knopp Biosciences LLC (Collaboration)
- Saphetor SA (Collaboration)
- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Publications
Barwell J
(2018)
A response to the Chief Medical Officer's report on Genomic Medicine: a catalyst for transformation.
in Personalized medicine
Mathew SS
(2017)
Inclusion of diverse populations in genomic research and health services: Genomix workshop report.
in Journal of community genetics
Zaccardi F
(2019)
Selectivity of beta-blockers, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in people with hypoglycaemia: An observational study.
in Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD
Vanheusden FJ
(2019)
Systematic differences of non-invasive dominant frequency estimation compared to invasive dominant frequency estimation in atrial fibrillation.
in Computers in biology and medicine
Barwell J
(2019)
The new genomic medicine service and implications for patients .
in Clinical medicine (London, England)
Freeman PJ
(2018)
VariantValidator: Accurate validation, mapping, and formatting of sequence variation descriptions.
in Human mutation
| Description | A response to the Chief Medical Officer's report on Genomic Medicine: a catalyst for transformation |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | This approach of targeting new genetic tests could also be applied to pharmacogenetics, predicting cancer risk in population cohorts, noninvasive genetic testing in pregnancy and cell-free circulating tumor DNA in plasma to detect temporal changes in patients with cancer as a test for disease monitoring [6]. This targeted molecular medicine technology and genomic testing lead to four aims: Treat disease for what it is rather than what it looks like down a microscope Treat people with the right drug at the right dose the first time Screen based on risk rather than age alone Move to a world beyond microbiology cultures and microscopes |
| Description | Beta-blockers could reduce death among those with diabetes and hypoglycaemia |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Influence of the prescription of specific classes of beta-blockers may reduce mortality in patients with heart disease and hypoglycaemia - precision medicine approaches fin multimorbitity. Further work is required to fully validate this approach which is ongoing with NovoNordisk. |
| URL | https://le.ac.uk/news/2019/february/22-beta-blockers-reduce-death-diabetes-hypoglycaemia |
| Description | Variant validator - improved mutation calling for clincal genetics |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | The widespread response to the software has been immensely positive with many echoing Professor Robinson of the Jackson Laboratory, 'We have also used what is probably VariantValidator's main competitor, Mutalyzer, but have chosen to use VariantValidator for our work because of the substantially greater amount of information presented to the user, the ease of use and the flexibility of the API and paramaterized URLs and the much better graphical user interface, all of which improves the efficiency of our work.'. At the Centre for Medical Genetics, Brussels, "VariantValidator has been indispensable" and they "are now validating thousands of variants every week with VariantValidator". Immediate beneficiaries include the GEL 100,000 Genomes Project, COSMIC and a wider set of NHS Genomics Laboratory Hubs who will soon be able to validate and safely share their variant data outputs. Collaboration between the University of Leicester and GEL has also resulted in the development of VariantFormatter software libraries enabling GEL to correctly present data using HGVS nomenclature. Impact case for REF 2021. |
| URL | https://variantvalidator.org/variantvalidator/ |
| Description | Development grant - NEK project |
| Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Cancer Research UK |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | ECMC Consumables Fund - Leicester Molecular Diagnostics |
| Amount | £5,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network (ECMC) |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2016 |
| End | 03/2016 |
| Description | MRC Biomedical Catalyst: Developmental Pathway Funding Scheme (DPFS) - LifeMap |
| Amount | £1,000,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2019 |
| Description | MRC CiC project funding |
| Amount | £70,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Leicester |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| End | 02/2020 |
| Description | MRC CiC project funding |
| Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Leicester |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2019 |
| End | 02/2020 |
| Description | MRC CiC project funding |
| Amount | £31,600 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Leicester |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | |
| Description | Recording neural activity 24/7 at different scales in the human brain: a unique opportunity to improve surgical treatment in patients with epilepsy |
| Amount | £60,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2019 |
| End | 12/2020 |
| Description | The Collaborative Computational Project for NMR (CCPN): data analysis, integration and partnerships for NMR in the biosciences |
| Amount | £920,041 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | MR/P00038X/1 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2016 |
| End | 09/2020 |
| Title | An interactive platform to guide catheter ablation in human persistent atrial fibrillation using dominant frequency, organisation and phase mapping |
| Description | An interactive platform to guide catheter ablation in human persistent atrial fibrillation using dominant frequency, organization and phase mapping |
| Type Of Material | Physiological assessment or outcome measure |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | A customised software platform capable of measuring different forms of spatiotemporal AEG analysis was implemented and used in clinical environment to guide persAF ablation. The modular nature of the platform will help electrophysiological studies in understanding of the underlying AF mechanisms |
| Title | Software development for the analysis of neural recordings obtained from patients implanted with electrodes for clinical reasons |
| Description | Software development for the analysis of neural recordings obtained from patients implanted with electrodes for clinical reasons |
| Type Of Material | Model of mechanisms or symptoms - human |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | It is too early to evaluate the impact of the new tool |
| Title | VariantValidator |
| Description | Novel and accurate base calling tool for the identification of disease causing genetic disease |
| Type Of Material | Data handling & control |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Better variant calling in the assignment of causal genetic mutations resulting in more accurate diagnosis of inherited diseases. The use of the new software has tested and validated locally (through East Midlands & East of England NHS Genomic Laboratory Hub). Now also with multiple other partners and institutes - see collaborations and partnerships for details Impact case for REF 2021. |
| URL | https://variantvalidator.org/ |
| Description | Cardio Health MRI Scan |
| Organisation | Resonance Health |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The patient recruitment and MRI imaging has taken place at Leicester. A proof of concept study adapting Resonance Health's existing algorithm with cardiac gating and acquired images from healthy volunteers and cardiology patients has been completed - with input from both partners. In 2021 Resonance Health have provided analyses for ~250 participants at no extra charge. This has an in kind contribution worth £10000 in additional resource. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Resonance Health have developed the algorithm for cardio MRI imaging and will help with analysing the MRI scans. |
| Impact | P2D funding (2016/2017 MC_PC_15056) was awarded to the PI to visit Resonance Health in Perth Australia, and for physicists from Resonance Health to come to Leicester to optimise the MRI sequence. Healthy volunteers and patients have been scanned and analysis of images is underway. Full patient and volunteer recruitment is complete and data analysis is under way with Resonance Health. A publication in a high profile journal is expected in 2021 (delayed due to COVID increased clinical commitments). It is anticipated that the data will inform future imaging diagnostics proposals and will have positive impact on patients to help early disease management for patients susceptible to severe cardiac disease. Updated February 2021. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Computational and biophysical approaches: in silico screening for drug discovery programs at LifeArc |
| Organisation | LifeArc |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The secondee analysed the structural-activity relationship between screening fragments also generated the theoretical computational fragment/protein docking models for searching queries against commercial databases to identify additional fragments for testing and searching potential TB treatment drugs. |
| Collaborator Contribution | LifeArc provided the chemical fragment library for us to screen potential inhibitors against TB protein. Also they provided us an opportunity to acquire the experience on doing computational analysis of fragment library screening hits. |
| Impact | We got 12 hits for TB protein by in vitro and computational screening assays for further inhibitors screening. The collaboration is not multi-disciplinary. A number of hits have been further validated - but there is no further commercial interest in the project (March 2019). A paper has been published using outputs from this secondment DOI: 10.1128/mBio.00931-18 Reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Development of novel small molecules for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma |
| Organisation | GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) |
| Country | Global |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have provided structural biology information and early cellular data to provide target validation. We are now supporting a GSK lead Med Chem programme by providing and running complex cellular and pre-clinical models such as explants, PDX models and PK/PD studies. |
| Collaborator Contribution | GSK are providing on-going structural biology data to support a medicinal chemistry programme and are also developing novel assays to demonstrate target engagement. Target engagement was proven, but molecules failed to show directed cell killing activity, of sufficient magnitude to continue further with lymphoma models. Follow on work lead to assessments of molecule actions for other autoimmune diseases (including systemic lupus) but due to medicinal chemistry constraints the project has been terminated. |
| Impact | We have progressed from the GSK Fast Track award scheme of lead identification to the DPAC award scheme which is the lead optimisation phase of the drug discovery pipeline. Within the DPAC scheme, we have moved from milestone 1 to milestone 2. It is hoped that this programme of work will ultimately result in a 'to clinic' drug. DPAc programme with GSK is still ongoing and progressing. Ana Sousa Manso has now left the LD3 team and is working as a Biology Project Coordinator for C4X Discovery Ltd, Manchester, United Kingdom (reported elsewhere in this application). Lead ID phase completed and progressing through Early Lead Optimisation. Evaluation point for progression to Late Lead Optimisation due in Q2 2020 - due to issues with medicinal chemistry (potency vs cell penetrance) the project has been terminated. GSK have given the rights, IP, synthesis info and background data for 5 compounds to UoL to use in further research projects and/or commercial development. A project management group has been established to maximise the outputs from this resource. Publications are in progress (jointly with GSK) - paper under review with Journal of Biochemistry (Feb 2021). Reviewed and updated 2021. |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Exploring commercial service opportunities in Finland |
| Organisation | Blueprint Genetics |
| Country | Finland |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for two PI's from Leicester Cancer Research Centre to travel and visit multiple Finish companies to understand more about the opportunity to promote UoL expertise and capabilities in genomic medicine. There is potenital interest in buying an IT platform cancerpdx (still in depvlopement/discussion). |
| Collaborator Contribution | The companies provided advice on procedures to be able to form collaborations between Finland and the UK in the field of genomics. |
| Impact | Active discussions with Finnish Genomic Board ongoing (March 2020) Work with Finpro ceased 2018 - company no longer trading CancerPDX - discussions and have develop a new free and confidential online family history taking tool for patients that have been referred to the clinical genetics department, in conjunction with he University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) clinical genetics department. COVID associated clinical and teaching commitments have meant that this project hasn't progressed in 2020. Reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Improve use of MRS to quantify triglycerides in type 2 diabetes at Resonance Health Analysis Services Ltd. |
| Organisation | Resonance Health |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for one PI from Leicester Cardiovascular Science department to travel and stay at Resonance Health Analytical Services in Perth, Australia to learn from their expertise and resources with regards to Proton-magetic resonance spectroscopy. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Resonance Health Analytical Services would provide the equipment and expertise to teach the secondee. |
| Impact | The collaboration has lead to the development of novel algorithms for predicting cardiac fat deposition which has lead to follow on funding from MRC CiC Funding MC_PC_16051 and follow on grant funding described elsewhere in this application and CiC RF return. Further updates and linked activates reported elsewhere (Cardio Health -MRI scans) - ongoing work associated with CiC award funding. Reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Improving knowledge of CRISPR technology at MedIummune |
| Organisation | AstraZeneca |
| Department | MedImmune |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This is a secondment project. We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for one PI from Leicester Infection, Immunity & Inflammation department to travel and stay at MedImmune Cambridge to learn about using CRISPR technology from their expertise and resources. |
| Collaborator Contribution | MedImmune would provide the equipment and expertise to teach the secondee. |
| Impact | The secondment took place and information/protocols exchanged but no further collaborations are anticipated. Reviewed Feb 2021. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Knopp Biosciences - Dexpramipexole meeting Gothenburg |
| Organisation | Knopp Biosciences LLC |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have developed a collaboration with Knopp that resulted in a successful application to EME for a multi-centre trial for Dexpramipoexople. BEAT-SEVERE asthma.Internal grant ID: EME/16/71/05 |
| Collaborator Contribution | Knopp Biosciences are providing the drug for the study UoL/UHL have been supporting the clinical trail set up and analysis. |
| Impact | No information or outputs to date - reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Leicester Diabetes Centre and GSK on EMIF (European Medical Information Project) project |
| Organisation | GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) |
| Country | Global |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This is a secondment project. We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for one PI from Leicester Diabetes Centre to travel and stay at GSk to use the EMIF resources and databases. |
| Collaborator Contribution | GSK will provide expertise and access to the EMIF database to run the project. |
| Impact | A successful placement was undertaken and access to database - outputs being colated for publishing. PI Nafeesa Dhalwani has now left UoL and is working with a company (Evidera) designing and implementing real-world evidence for safety, effectiveness, and value is necessary to achieve successful market access and product uptake for novel therapeutic interventions (detailed elsewhere in this report). No further updates as PI has left UoL. Reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Leicester Diabetes Centre and Novo Nordisk on Beta blockers effects on the association of hypoglycemia with cardiovascular mortality. |
| Organisation | Novo Nordisk |
| Country | Denmark |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Strengthen the relationship with the pharma company (Novo Nordisk) to investigate pharmacoepidemiology questions using real-word databases |
| Collaborator Contribution | Substantial support to conduct the research |
| Impact | Medicine, pharmacology, epidemiology. The output is the preparation of a manuscript which summarises the research conducted. The aim is to submit the manuscript to a high-impact factor international journal. Paper published in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases online from 16 February 2019. DOI:10.1016/j.numecd.2019.01.006 - also added to publications section of this review. No further updates on this project - reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Promotion of Variant Validator software to various companies |
| Organisation | BC Platforms AG |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This is a secondment project. We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for two PI's from Leicester Genetics department to travel and visit multiple European companies to understand the potential application of their software, and to assess the suitability of each company as a potential collaborator. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The companies provided advice and opinions on the software package to the secondees. |
| Impact | Follow on work for the development of the software is ongoing however the project has focused on other relationships primarily with Genomics England Ltd (more info expanded on elsewhere and in the follow on P2D funding MC-PC-15056). Reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Promotion of Variant Validator software to various companies |
| Organisation | Interactive Biosoftware |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This is a secondment project. We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for two PI's from Leicester Genetics department to travel and visit multiple European companies to understand the potential application of their software, and to assess the suitability of each company as a potential collaborator. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The companies provided advice and opinions on the software package to the secondees. |
| Impact | Follow on work for the development of the software is ongoing however the project has focused on other relationships primarily with Genomics England Ltd (more info expanded on elsewhere and in the follow on P2D funding MC-PC-15056). Reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Promotion of Variant Validator software to various companies |
| Organisation | PhenoSystems SA |
| Country | Belgium |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This is a secondment project. We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for two PI's from Leicester Genetics department to travel and visit multiple European companies to understand the potential application of their software, and to assess the suitability of each company as a potential collaborator. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The companies provided advice and opinions on the software package to the secondees. |
| Impact | Follow on work for the development of the software is ongoing however the project has focused on other relationships primarily with Genomics England Ltd (more info expanded on elsewhere and in the follow on P2D funding MC-PC-15056). Reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Promotion of Variant Validator software to various companies |
| Organisation | Saphetor SA |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This is a secondment project. We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for two PI's from Leicester Genetics department to travel and visit multiple European companies to understand the potential application of their software, and to assess the suitability of each company as a potential collaborator. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The companies provided advice and opinions on the software package to the secondees. |
| Impact | Follow on work for the development of the software is ongoing however the project has focused on other relationships primarily with Genomics England Ltd (more info expanded on elsewhere and in the follow on P2D funding MC-PC-15056). Reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Secondment to Xenogesis Ltd for a DMPK overview |
| Organisation | XenoGesis Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | A researcher from Leicester Drug Discovery and Diagnostics department travelled and visited Xenogesis in Nottingham to investigate how LD3 can potentially collaborate with Xenogesis, and learn more about industry approaches to DMPK from their expertise and resources. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Xenogesis would provide the equipment and expertise to work with the secondee and to discuss opportunities for joint working. |
| Impact | Due to changes in the structure and direction of our Drug Discovery, Diagnostics and Device Team, and under advisement from our Steering Group, we have put this programme on hold. Our current portfolio is now more focused towards the development and implementation of diagnostics and devices. We will revisit this collaboration in relation to new drug discovery projects . Reviewed Feb 2021 |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Training on soft tissue sarcoma (STS) analysis at Imagen Therapeutics |
| Organisation | Imagen Therapeutics |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We are sending tumour samples to IT for drug sensitivity testing; we conduct genome wide genetic and bioinformatic analysis in these tumour samples. |
| Collaborator Contribution | IT test each tumour for sensitivity to about 50 chemotherapeutic drugs |
| Impact | No firm outputs from this activity to date - the preparation of an article for publication is underway. No follow on plans are in place for this project as the MD/PhD student leading the sarcoma work is now back in clinical practice and PI will retire from UoL (end March 2021). To further updates - reviewed Feb 2021. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Understanding development of commercial probiotic products at Protexin |
| Organisation | Protexin |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | • Conception of research idea • Planning and conducting of human volunteer research study • Collection and analysis of resulting research samples (funded in conjunction with support from MRC CiC award MC_PC_16051) |
| Collaborator Contribution | • Analysis of company-owned IP to target suitable product for research study • Commercial-grade production of nutritional supplement for volunteer study • Funding for research project |
| Impact | • £112,255 funding from company to UoL • £60,000 top up funding from UoL LD3/MRC CiC funding call • Disciplines - clinical science, nutritional science, microbiology, genetics and analytical science • Licencing and revenue deal established (UoL and Protexin) in 2018 Protexin is now part of the ADM group as ADM Protexin Limited (2018) - but the relationship is still ongoing. No updates for 2020 - due to competing COVID priorities (clinical project lead). Reviewed Feb 2021. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | University of Leicester and Affymetrix to develop a bioinformatics and statistical analyses workflow to analyse Affymetrix Human Transcriptome Array. |
| Organisation | Affymetrix Inc. |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This is a secondment project. We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for a PI from Leicester Cardiovascular Department to travel and stay at Affymetrix HQ in USA to set up a new collaboration, use their resources and learn from their expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Allowing secondment and provide expertise and resources |
| Impact | Excellent exchange with access to high level information and the development of a novel workflow for data analysis. No further updates on this project as the PI no longer works for UoL. Reviewed Feb 2021. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | University of Leicester and AstraZeneca Open Innovation platform |
| Organisation | AstraZeneca |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We have provided collaboration framework and covered reagents, travel and accommodation expenses for a PI from University of Leicester to develop the right assays to screen approximately 50,000 pre-selected compounds targeted towards Kinase inhibition for screening to identify Nek8 inhibitors and understand potential mechanisms of action of Nek8 inhibitors in cancer cells. Expertise in novel target identification. |
| Collaborator Contribution | AZ will contribute in the screening of approximately 50,000 pre-selected compounds. Access to company's NEK family kinase inhibitors for screening. |
| Impact | We have secured a Research Collaboration and Option Agreement with AstraZeneca to cover NEK1 and NEK8. Clear workflows and plans are in place. A follow up P2D exchange program has taken place (late 2018) with funding from MC_PC_17194 to further screen compounds at AZ (Alderly Park campus) and to develop a POC package for target engagement (with AZ compounds and NEK1) which is being completed with MRC CiC support (MC_PC-15045) to be presented to AZ Oncology Group (Summer 2019) for funding/co-development options. A paper is in preparation around the NEK8 work has been delayed due to extended absence of the Lead PI (due to ill health). Reviewed Feb 2021. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | University of Leicester and Biosense Webster Inc. on improving efficacy of catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation |
| Organisation | Johnson & Johnson |
| Department | Biosense Webster |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Prof. G Andre Ng tested new pre-market catheters with the Biosense Webster clinician team. Feedback and advicev on further direction of development were provided by Leicester team during the following meeting with Biosense Webster R&D team. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The company offered one-day event visiting the lab and hand-on experience of new pre-market catheters for improving efficiency and accuracy. Leicester team obtained unique experience of new line of products that could help the planning of further research activities. |
| Impact | Leicester is participating a multi-centre trial of ablation with linear type catheter lead by Biosense Webster. The research output will be a journal article after the trial. Yes, the collaboration is multi-disciplinary between Engineering at Biosense Webster R&D and Cardiovascular Sciences, Electrophysiology, Biomedical Engineering at Leicester. With this initial visit, we are trying to keep on-going conversations aiming to get more access to Biosense Webster mapping system which will help the planning and conduction of investigator-initiated projects at Leicester. Consultancy with Biosense Webster and Prof Ng has been established and is ongoing. This has lead on to further funding with the BHF British Heart Foundation Project Grant (PG/18/33/33780). "Improving target identification for catheter ablation using dominant frequency and rotor analysis in human persistent atrial fibrillation using non-contact mapping" 2018/20 fEC value is £244,832.59. The work on this project has been impacted by COVID (Clinical Lead PI). Reviewed Feb 2021. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | University of Leicester and Blackrock Microsystems on a new generation of portable and digital acquisition systems for 24/7 human electrophysiology. |
| Organisation | Blackrock Microsystems LLC |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This is a secondment project. We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for PI and postdoc (Centre for Systems Neurosciences) to travel and stay at Blackrock Microsystems subsidiary in Germany to develop relationships and generate a new generation of portable and digital acquisition systems for 24/7 human electrophysiology. MRC CiC follow up funding has been put in palce to further the development of the prototype receiver for 24/7 single neuron recordings. UoL contributes significant know-how and expertise in the development of novel transceivers, detectors and acquisition systems Access to patients (Kings College, London, Nancy, Barcelona and Buenos Aires) for live recordings (databases) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Blackrock Microsystems will provide access to resources and software.Through several interactions with Blackrock (including the use of their test equipment in Hannover) we were able to improve the acquisition system software. This project allowed us to start a collaboration with Blackrock (which continued to develop later on with the CiC project) and with the Hospital El Cruce in Argentina (Dr Silvia Kochen, Head of the Epilepsy Unit), with whom I am still collaborating for data collection |
| Impact | Placement completed with significant assistance from Blackrock. Further discussions are in place with the company to use/adapt their recording systems to facilitate 24 hr recordings. Follow on work is currently funded by MRC CiC MC-PC_17171 to produce new algorithms to adapt data from Blackrock systems for 24 hr recording in hospitals in Buenos Aires and King's College Hospital (London). Further discussions with Blackrock have lead to the development of a portable design for the acquisition system, this follow up work was supported (in 2019) by CiC funding for development and testing. A trail in patients with Hospital El Cruce (Argentina) should have been taking place in 2020 but has been affected by the COVID pandemic. Reviewed Feb 2021. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | University of Leicester and Medtronic collaboration on DRG (Dorsal Root Ganglion) modulation in preventing ventricular arrhythmias |
| Organisation | Medtronic |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | This is a secondment project. We have provided collaboration framework and covered travel and accommodation expenses for one PI and his PhD from Leicester Cardiovascular Department to travel and stay at Medtronic in Netherlands to run few experiments and use their expertise and resources. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Medtronic will offer resources and expertise at their site. They will also come to Leicester to develop IT packages to analyse the clinical data of CT and MRI scans from Leicester which will inform development of translational strategies to deliver a clinical effective treatment based on the novel preclinical mechanistic data. |
| Impact | Ongoing relationship with Medtronic in the development of novel methods for the prevention of ventricular arrhythmia's. Sharing of knowledge and techniques that were brought back to Leicester to forward research. No current plans for joint applications on this project but additional funding is being sought to develop machine learning tools to target catheter ablation. This work will have been negativly impacted due to COVID (clinical lead PI). Reviewed Feb 2021. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Title | Dexpramipexole as a treatment for severe eosinophilic asthma |
| Description | Dexpramipexole as a treatment for severe eosinophilic asthma |
| Type | Therapeutic Intervention - Drug |
| Current Stage Of Development | Early clinical assessment |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2019 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | This work will help to identify the right patients to give "long-term" antibiotics to, and to see whether the bacteria that live in the lungs might be responsible for causing asthma attacks in people with T2-LOW severe asthma. Knowing which patients are the right ones to give antibiotics to is important as bacterial resistance to antibiotics through inappropriate use is a global problem. Additionally if we find out that targeting certain bacteria that live in the lung reduces asthma attacks, this could pave the way for future trial evaluating other types of intervention such as probiotics. The patients in the T2-HIGH subtype will test a new oral tablet called dexpramipexole, which lowers the number of eosinophils in the blood by stopping them growing in the person's bone marrow (the part of the body that produces new blood cells). We want to see if this treatment will be effective in reducing asthma attacks in the T2-HIGH subtype. This work has the potential to provide an alternative option to oral steroids or biologic injections for patients with T2-HIGH severe asthma. People with severe asthma have been involved in developing this grant though participation in two national workshops. Asthma UK, a leading charity, has also consulted with the European asthma community, who all agree this is valuable research |
| Title | Genetics and Genome Biology |
| Description | Triage for familial cancer and familial breast cancer management tool |
| Type | Support Tool - For Medical Intervention |
| Current Stage Of Development | Initial development |
| Year Development Stage Completed | 2020 |
| Development Status | Under active development/distribution |
| Impact | Triage Pedigree drawing Risk assessment Standard letters |
| Title | A new software for the isolation of the neural activity from recordings with electrodes in the brain. |
| Description | A portable device and tracking software algorithm for the isolation of the neural activity from recordings with electrodes in the brain. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Impact | It is still too early to assess the impact of the new software |
| Description | BioHomecoming 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | http://www2.le.ac.uk/news/blog/2016-archive/october/industry-and-academia-build-links-in-precision-medicine-and-drug-discovery The University of Leicester hosted an event bringing together industry and academic in fruitful discussions on drug discovery and precision medicine. It was hosted at the Leicester Tigers Conference Centre and attended by over 300 delegates, 170 of which were industry delegates from the Pharma and Biotechnology sectors, including alumni, regional contacts and current collaborators of the University of Leicester. Dr Ismael Tejero, Business Development Manager for the College of Medicine and main organiser of the event, said: "We managed to advertise our expertise and scientific offer, including our two new Research Institutes of Precision Medicine and Structural and Chemical Biology, to a broad range of delegates in the biomedical industry. "The environment created during the Bio-Homecoming event really encouraged our academics to successfully establish and develop relationships with industrial peers across the country but also from Ireland and Switzerland. With more than 25 exhibitors and 600 scheduled one-to-one meetings, this event has started big and there is already a lot of interest and expectation to see the agenda for the Bio-homecoming 2017." Feedback from the event was very positive, with many commenting on the networking value of the one-to-one sessions. Professor Philip Baker (pictured left), Dean of Medicine at the University of Leicester, said: "The interaction of clinicians and scientists from our College - with industry partners, generated a tremendous buzz. We are absolutely serious about strengthening and enhancing the synergies between academia and industry - in order to ensure that our research discoveries translate to public and patient benefit." Ian Cox from Idaco Consulting said: "I attend a lot of partnering events and this one was extremely well organised and run. The venue was ideal (even though I support Northampton Saints.), a good blend of talks and exhibitors, and the partnering meetings worked really well. Catering facilities were excellent. All in all a very enjoyable day. It was great to finally see what Leicester has to offer and I hope this event becomes an annual event because it will certainly increase and improve the University's visibility." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.biohomecoming.com/ |
| Description | Genetics and Genome Biology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | A Think Tank for medical students and community groups. We are in discussion with Health Education England and the BBC about how these could be used to debate the role of doctors in the 21st century and data security. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | LISCB - Bench to business event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The money was used to organise a meeting to introduce selected industry partners and translational funders to the expertise and capabilities of the newly formed Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology (LISCB). There were a number of key objectives in organising the meeting: - Promote LISCB facilities and expertise - Scope out potential for LISCB consortium - Build key relationships, accelerate specific interactions and start new ones - Educate ourselves and our collaborators on Innovate UK funding • Attainment, or otherwise, of the project deliverable The meeting generated a number of new activities: - Progression of Epigenetic and splicing consortium regarding terms of reference, membership fees and aims of the group - Early discussions in progress with Selcia and academic to apply for Innovate UK funding - GSK interest in engaging with the University on a collaborative bid opportunity on PROTACs using single molecule techniques - Potential for further company discussions with GSK and AZ when appropriate around Cryo-EM expertise We were also able to follow up with companies that were unable to attend by sending them our LISCB brochure post event which has led to further engagement and discussions around potential areas for collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | LPMI event - collaboration to drive innovation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The aim of this event was to inform both life sciences companies and academics of the opportunities available through the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF) and the potential for research funding. The event included discussions and workshops on: • Informatics and digital health • Innovation in health and disease detection using diagnostic, preventative and sensor technologies Outcomes were recorded and circulated after the event. One proposed project, a portable isolation unit, is currently being followed through to a NIHR i4i application, and several others are in the pipeline. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |