€5.5m mission to develop DVT detector small enough to fit in a pocket

To read the article published by Roger Highfield, Science Editor for the Daily Telegraph, on the 28th August 2006, please click here.

Our full news release:

The European Commission Information Society & Media Directorate General has awarded €3.3 million to a consortium of eleven leading European research and high-tech firms to innovate a digital, handheld, highly accurate medical device for diagnosing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism. This adds to the consortium’s contribution of €2.2 million, bring the total R&D investment to €5.5 million.

From 1st September 2006, Cenamps, a national centre for emerging small-scale technologies, based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Helena Biosciences, a medical devices firm based in Gateshead; and the University of Teesside will lead a team of talented scientists to develop a prototype device for DVT/PE diagnosis. The consortium also includes Haptogen, a leading bio-pharmaceutical spin-out from the University of Aberdeen; the Fraunhofer Institute (Germany); the Pac Cientific de Barcelona (Spain); Claude-Bernard University-Lyon (France); Comenius University (Slovak Republic); Budapest University of Technology & Economics (Hungry); and Universite Paris-Sud (France).

AntiCoagulation Europe (ACE), a charity providing information and advice to people on oral anticoagulation therapy, will work closely with the consortium as both advisors and observers.

Medical tests currently used to detect the illness in patients at the point-of-care can be unreliable. Healthcare workers are referring suspected patients for expensive diagnostic imaging, with only 20 – 30 per cent of these patients actually being diagnosed with a blood clot. This places a heavy burden on healthcare resources. Anticoagulation drugs, which can have other unwanted medical side affects, are also administrated to suspected patients whilst they wait for diagnostic imaging.

The device promises to revolutionise the speed, accuracy and reliability with which DVT and related blood clot conditions can be diagnosed - at the point of first-contact. The handheld device will be the size of a mobile phone, enabling clinicians to use the device anywhere at any time: hospital, local clinics, A&E departments, doctors’ surgeries, home visits, outpatients and by paramedics on the move. The accuracy and reliability of its results will also help reduce related healthcare costs.

Deep vein thrombosis is a medical condition resulting from the formation of internal blood clots in the calf. If the clot becomes free and reaches the lung, it can lead to pulmonary embolism – an often fatal condition. Cramped conditions and the formation of internal blood clots have been shown to be closely linked.

DVT can occur after prolonged periods of travel on planes, trains and cars. It can also occur as a result of prolonged Internet surfing – a condition increasingly referred to as e-Thrombosis. Many factors increase the risk of blood clots forming, including: age, pregnancy, genetics, oral contraception, obesity, recent surgery and dehydration. Recent research has also suggested a person’s height may increase the risk – being very small or tall – and that people shorter than 1.6m (5ft 3in) and taller than 1.9 (6ft 3in) are five times and four times, respectively, more likely to suffer from DVT during and after a flight.

Blood clots such as DVT/PE are the biggest unexpected killer of hospitalised patients in developed countries such as the UK, France, Spain, Germany, US and Japan. During 2001, the number of reported incident cases of DVT/PE totalled 1.2 million in France, Spain, Germany, Italy, UK, Japan and the US alone. This figure is expected to rise to 1.4 million by 2011.

Using the latest advancements in polymer electronics, bio-molecular engineering, lab-on-a-chip, wireless ICT and nano-biotechnologies, the consortium will develop a prototype device that will detect D-dimer levels in blood. D-dimer is one of the smallest antigens found in human and animal blood. A positive D-dimer test is used to identify DVT and PE in at-risk patients.

Shak Gohir, Business and Programme Manager at Cenamps, commented:

“We’re extremely proud to have formed and now manage the DVT project, which promises to significantly improve the diagnosis and treatment of DVT and PE. The project is very much part of Cenamps’ remit to bring forward new enabling technologies - for example, through our establishment of a national Polymer Electronic Technology Centre in North East England - and demonstrates its importance to the UK research-base and economy.”

Professor Zulf Ali of University of Teesside, commented:

“As lead partners we are excited by the benefits and opportunities the project will create for improving healthcare systems in Europe and worldwide. North East England is a hotbed for emerging technologies and our consortium partners represent some of the most talented scientists and technologists in their field.”

Professor Andy Porter, Chief Scientific Officer at Haptogen, commented:

“Our consortium approach is to combine the latest developments in biotechnology with advances in materials science and computing. Haptogen’s science facilitates this fusion of biology with technology to allow rapid diagnosis of DVT at a patient’s bedside or possibly, in later versions, even in their own home.”

Eve Knight, Director, Anticoagulation Europe, said:

“This is a very exciting development in the fight against DVT, which claims the lives of thousands of people in the UK, every year. In recent years we have seen a number of high-profile cases involving young people who have been struck by the illness while receiving routine hospital treatment, and scientific evidence suggests that more people than ever are at risk. It is therefore extremely encouraging to know that scientists are now developing a point-of-care device that promises to save lives and healthcare resources across Europe. AntiCoagulation Europe is delighted to be working with the consortium on such an important and inovative project.”

Nano-Regulation, towards a sustainable regulatory framework for nanotechnologies

During the spri ng 2005 an international forum was started in Switerzerland, comprising of stakeholders from industry, insurance, research, retail, government and NGO organisations with the goal to:

• establish an international multi-stakeholder network on regulatory issues
• characterise stakeholders attitudes and expectations towards safety and risk issues
• address safety, risk and regulation needs of nanotechnology from different perspectives
• facilitate proactive solution oriented dialogue processes on safety and risk issues
• identify and prioritise the fields of action
• propose forthcoming activities

The Innovation Society has completed a DELPHI-study looking at the regulation needs of nanotechnology, involving the various stakeholders. Its findings and recommedndations were recently published during March 2006.

".....Based on the key-results of the performed activities it can be stated that a dialogue forum about safety and risk-issues is broadly welcomed as a powerful and efficient instrument of information, coordination and cooperation1. A dialogue on regulatory issues was judged to be valuable in terms of an increased security of action for all stakeholders. The importance of early engagement of the public in order to prevent a sudden backlash in terms of lacking trust was stressed to be important by all parties.

Due to the fast technological development, the fast increase in products, containing nano-components and the rapid and broad application of nanoparticles and nanomaterials in manufacturing processes, there is an urgent need to clarify safety issues of nanotechnology and to identify gaps in either occupational health safety, product and consumer safety or environmental regulations.

There was also a common understanding that most countries of Western Europe (incl. Switzerland) should develop or adopt internationally compatible frameworks or standards. In order to overcome trading barriers an EU-wide or even global harmonisation of frameworks and standards would be appropriate. The question on which specific properties of nano substance (diameter, toxicity, surface characteristics, scope or exposition) the regulation should look at, remained open. However a thoughtful case-by-case risk analysis is required with potentially hazardous nanomaterials and a proactive risk-management system has to be established...."

Ten recommendations have been made including establishing clear terminalogy, moving from risk-assessment to proactive risk management and greater communication and public dialogue.

Read the report ... click here

Shak Gohir

Googling for nanotechnology

Who is googling the world wide web for nanotechnologies?

This is a question that I put to Google Trends. When I tapped in the word "nanotechnology" into Google Trends during the afternoon of 8th August 2006. I was surprised by the answer. The answer that Google Trends threw out was India - it was not China, Europe, South Korea, US or Japan. What is more, people in India are googling for online nanotechnology content at a level that significantly exceeds any other nations.

Google Trend also indicates that the top language in which "nanotechnology" is searched for is Korean and not English. So India and the rest of the world must be searching South Korean websites for nano content more than sites from other regions and nations?

This is not to say that today India is a leading player in the nano field. As it happens, India is a late starter when it comes to nanosciences and nanotechnologies and still needs to build critical mass. India started its Nano Science and Technology Initiative just five years ago, during 2001, and has invested just around $24 million to date.

What it does indicate is the increasing inner passion of individuals studying and/or working in India to strengthen their nation's global economic position through high-tech R&D and not just services and information technology.

An article published recently during June 2006 by the Science & Development Network "Preparing for take-off: Indian nanotechnology" says:

".... Brij Mohan Arora, a materials scientist at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai points out that, overall, India does not have many achievements to showcase yet. "Much of it has been small table top research, but nevertheless it has created an awareness about techniques," he says.

If India wants to catch up with the best of the world's nanoscience researchers, and apply the technology to developing world issues — such as energy, water and health care — it seems that far greater investment is needed.

Fortunately for India, it is one of the few countries whose leader is pushing to improve funding for the sector. President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, a former scientist in the space and defence sectors, was one of the first to point out that the country's nanotechnology research was sub-optimal.

In April 2004, Kalam organised a meeting of nanoscience experts to devise a national mission plan. Its recommendations include spending US$22 million each year for the next five years on five new national facilities specialising in complimentary areas of nanotechnology and ten 'mini centres' across the country. These centres would each receive US$5 million, and would focus on one or two areas of nanoscience and technology.

Overall, the experts recommended that US$200 million be spent on nanotechnology over a five-year period. India's finance ministry has now cleared these funds for use in 2006-2011. From later this year, the new national mission will oversee activities currently under the Nano Science and Technology Initiative.... "

Setting aside nanotechnology for a moment, a survey conducted by INSEAD and Booz Allen Hamilton, indicates that R&D is moving east. It suggestions that by the end of 2007, India and China will account for over 30% of global R&D staff, up from 19% during 2004.

Shak Gohir
Business & Programme Manager