Don’t let myths and rumors keep you from saving lives. Learn the facts.

Myth: Doctors will not try to save my life if they know I want to be a donor.

Fact: The medical staff trying to save lives is completely separate from the transplant team. Donation takes place
and transplant surgeons are called in only after all efforts to save a life have been exhausted and death is imminent or has
been declared.

Myth: People can recover from brain death.

Fact: People can recover from comas, but not brain death. Coma and brain death are not the same. Brain death is
final.

Myth: Minorities should refuse to donate because organ distribution discriminates by race.

Fact: Organs are matched by factors, including blood and tissue typing, which can vary by race. Patients are more
likely to find matches among donors of their same race or ethnicity.

Myth: The rich and famous on the U.S. waiting list for organs get preferential treatment.

Fact: The computerized matching system does not select recipients based on fame or wealth. Organs are matched by
blood and tissue typing, organ size, medical urgency, waiting time, and geographic location.

Myth: I am too old to donate organs and tissues.

Fact: People of all ages may be organ and tissue donors. Physical condition, not age, is important. Please sign a
donor card; physicians will decide whether your organs and tissues can be transplanted.

Myth: My family will be charged for donating my organs.

Fact: Donation costs are not the responsibility of the donor’s family or estate.

Myth: Donation will disfigure my body.

Fact: Organs and tissues are removed in procedures similar to surgery, and all incisions are closed at the conclusion
of the surgery. An open casket funeral is possible after donation.

Myth: Organs are sold, with enormous profits going to the medical community.

Fact: Federal law prohibits buying and selling organs in the U.S. Violators are punishable by prison sentences and
fines.

Myth: Marrow donation is painful.

Fact: Marrow donors do not feel pain when the marrow is removed because anesthesia is used. Soreness and/or stiffness
may be felt for a week or so post-donation.

organdonor/myths_and_facts.htm

UroToday – For years, bladder pain syndrome series have reported apparently high numbers of BPS patients with a history of hysterectomy and other pelvic surgeries. No study has compared cases with controls prior to onset of BPS symptoms. In the EPIC study (Events Preceding Interstitial Cystitis) John Warren’s research group hypothesized that significantly more cases than controls experienced pelvic surgeries, especially just before onset of BPS symptoms. The EPIC study was a study of women exhibiting BPS symptoms for 12 months or less recruited nationally through urologists and patient support groups and controls recruited by random digit dialing and matched on sex, age, and national region.

Dr. Patricia Langenberg from Baltimore and her colleagues from around the country studied the EPIC data derived from 312 BPS cases and 313 controls that completed the study. Before their index dates, significantly more BPS cases than controls reported surgeries, including most of the specific pelvic surgeries queried. At greater than 12 months prior to the index date (onset of BPS or study entry for controls) the cases had more surgeries, including laparoscopy, D&C, nonhysterectomy uterine surgery, and “other” pelvic surgeries. Between 1 and 12 months, cases and controls did not differ. At less than 1 month, cases exceeded controls. Surgical procedures within one month of diagnosis included hysterectomies, ovarian surgeries including bilateral oophorectomies, and other pelvic surgeries.

The authors comment that more BPS cases had surgeries than matched controls and that cases had greater numbers of surgeries. Further analysis demonstrated that the associations of surgeries with BPS may have been confounded by the stronger associations of several possible indications for surgery. Specifically, inclusion of chronic pelvic pain in logistic regression analysis reduced to nonsignificance the association of surgeries with BPS. The authors strongly believe that the prior chronic pelvic pain was not simply undiagnosed BPS, and by extension that the increase of pelvic surgical procedures that preceded the diagnosis was not unnecessary surgery related to a missed diagnosis of BPS. They support this belief based on 3 foundations: 1)chronic pelvic pain began more than 12 months before onset of BPS symptoms in 73% of cases; 2)treating physicians did not consider chronic pelvic pain prior to the index date to be BPS; and 3) reviewed medical records did not support such a preexisting diagnosis.

The authors conclude that chronic pelvic pain appears to be a strong predictor of BPS. It is not clear to this correspondent that the onset of chronic pelvic pain can be reliably determined to be unrelated to onset of BPS or can be reliably separated from BPS by patient or physician given the way the syndrome is defined.
This is an excellent report from a very productive BPS center, that is highly recommended, and those interested in BPS will find it worth taking the time to review it carefully.

Langenberg PW, Wallach EE, Clauw DJ, Howard FM, Diggs CM, Wesselmann U, Greenberg P, Warren JW

Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2009 Dec 18. Epub ahead of print.

doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2009.10.866

UroToday Contributing Editor Philip M. Hanno, MD, MPH

UroToday – the only urology website with original content global urology key opinion leaders actively engaged in clinical practice. To access the latest urology news releases from UroToday, go to:
www.urotoday

Copyright © 2010 – UroToday

Statement by Dr. Kevin Fenton, Director, NCHHSTP, CDC:

HIV remains a significant threat to the health of Latino communities in the United States. Latinos are becoming infected with HIV at a rate three times greater than whites; and while Latinos represent just 15 percent of the U.S. population, they make up 18 percent of those living with HIV/AIDS. Among Latinos, men who have sex with men are the most heavily affected by HIV, accounting for more than half of all new HIV infections among this population group in 2006. On this National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, we all must pledge continued commitment to address this threat against Latinos, the largest minority population in the United States.

Our nation’s response to this threat must be as diverse as the Latino HIV/AIDS epidemic itself, confronting the unique cultural and socioeconomic challenges that place Latinos at greater risk. These challenges include limited health care access, language barriers, migration, discrimination, varied socioeconomic status, stigma surrounding homosexuality and HIV, and higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (which significantly increase HIV risk) compared to whites.

The end of this epidemic can become a reality, if everyone with a stake in this fight – individuals, communities, businesses, and governments – unites to address this devastating disease that exacts a direct toll on the Latino community.

Statement by Maria E. Alvarez, Acting Associate Director, Hispanic/Latino Executive Committee, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, NCHHSTP, CDC:

At CDC, preventing HIV among Latinos is one of our highest priorities for fighting the epidemic. We commit approximately 20 percent of our HIV prevention funding each year to support a broad range of HIV prevention programs for Latinos. We’re working to increase HIV testing rates, ensure that effective HIV prevention programs reach those who need them, and research and develop new programs to meet the specific needs of a multi-ethnic Latino community. We are also working with community leaders to develop a Hispanic/Latino plan of action to accelerate progress and significantly reduce the toll of HIV among Latinos across the country.

Every Latino can help break the cycle of HIV infection by getting tested as a first step toward prevention. CDC recommends that everyone aged 13 to 64 get tested for HIV so they can take steps to protect themselves and their partners. This is especially important for Latinos, who make up the largest share of people diagnosed with HIV late in the course of infection, when treatment is less effective.

Latinos can also help break the stigma that surrounds HIV by speaking openly and often about HIV with family and friends, and by supporting those living with the disease.

Today, at events across the continental United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, thousands of people from all walks of life will come together to raise the visibility of the Latino HIV/AIDS epidemic and the urgent need for action. I hope that we will all use this day to make the theme of this year’s National Latino AIDS Awareness Day a reality – “United We Can: HIV/AIDS Stops Here.”

To find out more about HIV/AIDS and where you can receive a confidential HIV test, visit www.hivtest, or call 800-CDC-INFO, a 24-hour hotline available in both English and Spanish. For additional information on HIV/AIDS, please visit www.aids.

Paula Hartman-Stein, PhD, founder of the Center For Healthy Aging, is a psychologist specializing in geriatric psychology and a self-learned “bee” champ, and has used spelling as a technique to keep elders’ thinking skills sharp:

“I have found that spelling/vocabulary classes help older adults feel confident about themselves, and as they master more spelling words they feel a sense of accomplishment knowing that they are still able to use their memory and learning skills.”

ProfNet
Ste 200, 888 Veterans Highway
Hauppauge, NY 11788
United States
profnet

The global fight against swine flu is shining a spotlight on North Carolina’s long-term commitment to biomanufacturing.

Global pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, with North American headquarters in Research Triangle Park, is one of the world’s two key manufacturers of antiviral flu treatments. GSK makes Relenza at its plant in Zebulon, about 25 miles east of its headquarters campus.

GSK and Swiss drug company Roche, which makes Tamiflu, have notified the World Health Organization that this new strain of the swine-flu virus seems to respond to their medicines.

“When we’re called upon to tackle these kinds of disease outbreaks, North Carolina’s excellent base of medical research and pharmaceutical manufacturing puts us among global leaders,” said E. Norris Tolson, president and CEO of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.

North Carolina has invested $1.2 billion in steady bioscience growth during the past decade, said Tolson. “Some states aren’t so interested in manufacturing. But at times like these, it becomes clear why these science-driven factories are so crucial.”

Hundreds of workers at GSK’s Zebulon factory have made medicines to supply the world for more than two decades. Meanwhile, Novartis has a flu-vaccine plant under construction at the edge of Holly Springs, about 20 miles southwest of Raleigh.

Source: North Carolina Biotechnology Center
Further information on Swine Flu

See a Map Of H1N1 Outbreaks
See our Mexico Swine Flu Blog

View drug information on Relenza; Tamiflu capsule.

A research abstract presented on June 9, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, is the first demonstration of a specific neurochemical abnormality in adults with primary insomnia (PI), providing greater insight to the limited understanding of the condition’s pathology.

Results indicate that gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the most common inhibitory transmitter in the brain, is reduced by nearly 30 percent in individuals who suffer from primary insomnia for more than six months. These findings suggest that primary insomnia is a manifestation of a neurobiological state of hyperarousal, which is present during both waking and sleep at physiological and cognitive levels.

According to principal investigator Dr. John Winkelman of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass., the recognition that primary insomnia is associated with a specific neurochemical deficiency helps validate the often misunderstood complaint of insomnia.

“Recognition that insomnia has manifestations in the brain may increase the legitimacy of those who have insomnia and report substantial daytime consequences,” he said. “Insomnia is not just a phenomenon observed at night, but has daytime consequences for energy, concentration and mood.”

The study included 16 non-medicated individuals (eight of whom were women) with PI and 16 individuals (seven women) who were deemed normal sleepers. Global brain GABA levels were measured in both groups. PI was established through clinical interviews, sleep diary, actigraphy use and polysomnograpy.

Winkelman published similar results in the Nov. 1, 2008, issue of the journal SLEEP.

Abstract Title: Reduced brain GABA in primary insomnia: preliminary data from 4T proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS)
Presentation Date: Tuesday, June 9
Category: Sleep Disorders – Insomnia
Abstract ID: 0768

Source:
Kelly Wagner

American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Broad range of papers focus on intelligence analysis, driver safety, patient safety, etc.

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society’s 51st Annual Meeting will be held October 1 — 5, 2007, at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland. More than 350 papers will be presented, many of them featuring current research and application on topics of major relevance for the public, legislators, and business leaders. Below are abstracts on just a few of these topics.

INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS/NATIONAL SECURITY

Visual Evidence Landscapes: Reducing Bias in Collaborative Intelligence Analysis
Maia B. Cook and Harvey S. Smallman, Pacific Science and Engineering Group
Thursday, October 4, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 noon

In medical, military, and business decision-making, several key tasks include analyzing, making sense of, and carefully weighing ambiguous and conflicting evidence. Confirmation bias — the tendency to seek out information that supports a particular hypothesis while ignoring or minimizing contrary information — can lead to poor decision making by maintaining a position even though it might not be warranted based on the available information. Cook and Smallman studied two new approaches — using graphics rather than text to list supporting or refuting evidence and shared analysis rather than individual interpretation of evidence — in this study of collaborative intelligence analysis. Their results have implications for the design of systems that help to reduce bias.

Judging Sufficiency: How Professional Intelligence Analysts Assess Analytical Rigor
Daniel J. Zelik, Ohio State University, et al.
Thursday, October 4, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 noon

Information analysts use rigor to assess the quality of the process, rather than the product, of analysis. Zelik and colleagues researched accident reports and found that intelligence analysis managers were unaware that they were making decisions based on analyses that appeared thorough on the surface but that were of very low rigor. The researchers’ results offer insights into the expertise of the professional intelligence analyst.

Exploring Challenges of Information Dynamics Using an Animock
Shilo Anders, Ohio State University, et al.
Thursday, October 4, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 noon

Applying new information to existing problems is an ongoing challenge in intelligence analysis. The animated prototyping technique, or animock, uses dynamic storyboarding to represent a potential envisioned world. Anders and colleagues explored the use of animocks in solving challenging problems for which no current software support exists: Namely, applying default assumptions that do not apply to the case, repeating inaccurate information in original documents, and repeating information that was once considered accurate but was later overturned as new information became available.

Team Cognition in Intelligence Analysis

Stoney Trent, U.S. Military Academy, et al.
Thursday, October 4, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 noon

Although intelligence analysis has been the focus of much research since 2001, insufficient emphasis has been placed on examinations of team cognition in the performance of analytical tasks, or in developing effective training strategies for analysts. Trent and colleagues investigate the effectiveness of teams in a training exercise and, based on these results, suggest strategies for improving performance and training for intelligence analysts.

Human Factors Contributes to Queuing Theory: Parkinson’s Law and Security Screening
Colin G. Drury, University of Buffalo at SUNY, et al.
Friday, October 5, 8:30 — 10:00 a.m.

According to Parkinson’s law, “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” It has been found that those who provide a service may change their behavior in response to the length of the line (queue) of waiting customers. Servers work faster as the queue length increases, which has clear implications for service quality. Drury and colleagues consider one queuing situation with high visibility and high error consequence: security screening at an airport.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Lessons Learned From the Design of the Decision Support System Used in the Hurricane Katrina Evacuation Decision
Alex Kirlik, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Wednesday, October 3, 1:30 — 3:00 p.m.

Computer-based decision support systems are increasingly used to aid human decision makers in time-stressed and high-stakes contexts. Hurricane Katrina is a prime example. The HURREVAC decision-support system used during Hurricane Katrina was evaluated using real-time screen shots of the graphical and numerical information that was displayed to emergency response managers. At 11:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 26, 2005, the HURREVAC system indicated an evacuation decision would have to be made by daybreak the following morning. However, the system only indicates when a decision should be made; it offers little if any support as to what that decision should be. In fact, HURREVAC users at locations across the entire gulf coast, from Florida to Texas, were also viewing evacuation advisories that assumed a worst-case scenario of “direct hit.” Advances in information technology and real-time networking represent significant improvements, but design deficiencies still persist.

Assessing the Impact of Computerization on Work Practice: Information Technology in Emergency Departments
Priyadarshini R. Pennathur, University of Buffalo at SUNY, et al.
Thursday, October 4, 3:30 — 5:00 p.m.

Electronic status boards used for tracking patients in hospital emergency rooms, while offering advantages over dry-erase boards, are shown to decreases flexibility and increase workload, indirectly creating new safety risks. Pennathur and colleagues documented a negative impact on communication due to limits in information display, levels of urgency not given appropriate weight, decreased visual cues, longer time required to assess care situation upon entering the emergency room, and other factors.

AVIATION SAFETY

The Effects of Direct Pilot Warnings on the Prevention of Runway Incursions
Kathleen McGarry and Peter Moertl, MITRE/CAASD
Thursday, October 4, 3:30 — 5:00 p.m.

The effectiveness of integrated ground-based warning systems for improved runway safety was evaluated using a human-in-the-loop simulation. These systems enable enhanced pilot awareness and warn pilots about runway safety risks. Results show that ground-based pilot warnings offer significant benefits by reducing the likelihood of runway incursions.

DESIGN FOR THE AGING AND DISABLED

A Survey of Mobile Phone Use in Older Adults
Young Seok Lee, Virginia Tech
Tuesday, October 2, 1:30 — 3:00 p.m.

More and more older adults are using mobile phones. Lee conducted a survey of older cell phone users and found that most usability problems involve lack of understanding of error messages, problems inputting text, and difficulty understanding user manuals. He concludes that mobile phone manufacturers need to focus on the needs and capabilities of this growing older user population.

Testing a Novel Auditory Interface Display to Enable Visually Impaired Travelers to Use Sonar Mobility Devices Effectively
T. Claire Davies, University of Waterloo, et al.
Thursday, October 4, 8:30 — 10:00 a.m.

After loss of vision, people have difficulty maintaining their independence and mobility, which ultimately affects their safety. Sonar devices have been developed to address this issue, but they have had limited acceptance, because they lack an easily interpreted interface. Davies and colleagues tested an auditory prototype that offers offer more environmental information than the current single tone design, thus providing the user with enough advance information to avoid obstacles.

PRODUCT/SYSTEM USABILITY

Digital Photo Kiosk Evaluation
Jacob Solomon and Frank A. Drews, University of Utah
Thursday, October 4, 10:30 a.m. — 12:00 noon

Self-service modules have become an integral part of the economy throughout the world, replacing expensive human operators in many settings. Digital photo kiosks are a particularly conspicuous example of problems that exist in self-service modules. Solomon and Drew redesigned kiosks based on sound usability principles. Their results indicated a reduction of errors, an increase in learnability, and an increase in efficiency.

They suggest that incorporating design principles from personal computer software design can minimize task complexity and increase usability.

An Evaluation of Self-Checkout Systems
Christina Mendat, HumanCentric Technologies; Christopher B. Mayhorn, North Carolina State University
Thursday, October 4, 8:30 — 10:00 a.m.

Self-checkout systems in stores have increased exponentially in the past 5 years. An online survey found that although these systems are used frequently, they are not always usable. For example, respondents noted problems with barcode scanning, which slow the line. Mendat and Mayhorn highlighted a number of areas in which the application of human factors/ergonomics methods and principles could greatly improve self-checkout systems.

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Click here to view the online preliminary program, which displays abstracts and presentation date and time.

The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in September 2007, is a multidisciplinary professional association of more than 4,700 persons in the United States and throughout the world. Its members include psychologists and other scientists, designers, and engineers, all of whom have a common interest in designing systems and equipment to be safe and effective for the people who operate and maintain them. HFES is the largest human factors/ergonomics organization affiliated with the International Ergonomics Association.

Source: Lois Smith

Human Factors and Ergonomics Society

SunTech Medical launches their Advantage™ HDM (Hemodialysis Monitoring) OEM Non-invasive Blood Pressure (OEM NIBP) technology designed specifically for monitoring blood pressure during hemodialysis. This application-specific technology recently achieved an A rating for both systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurement according to the British Hypertension Society (BHS) protocol.

SunTech Medical recognized the need to address concerns over the accuracy of automated blood pressure measurements on hemodialysis patients. In response, they investigated an oscillometric blood pressure technology for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients during hemodialysis. The results provide a break-through in clinical-grade accuracy for non-invasive automated blood pressure measurement on ESRD patients.

Although recommended, current validation protocols and guidelines do not require blood pressure monitors to be validated on specific patient populations. Consequently, most are validated on readily available healthy volunteers. In this regard, special efforts were made by focusing not only on ESRD patients, but in the environment for which the technology was intended by performing the evaluation during dialysis treatment. This makes SunTech Medical the only current provider of OEM NIBP technology validated for use during hemodialysis treatment.

SunTech Medical wishes to thank the patients and staff at Dr. Georges-L. Dumont Regional Hospital Nephrology Center (Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada). The study was approved by both Health Canada and the Hospital’s ethics review board. All subjects were adult volunteers with ESRD currently receiving hemodialysis treatment.

To download the whitepaper for the details of the study click here .

About SunTech Medical

SunTech Medical is the world leader in non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitoring products and technology. Our solutions include automated blood pressure measurement for stress and exercise testing, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, and a line of general and specialized blood pressure cuffs. We also supply OEM blood pressure modules with customized algorithms to leading patient monitoring manufacturers addressing a variety of challenging environments and specialized patient populations.

SunTechMed

The estimated one-third of adults who suffer from insomnia could soon find effective treatment without ever leaving their homes. Researchers at the University of Virginia Health System have developed a unique Internet-based intervention, based on well-established face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, that has shown remarkable results in improving patients’ sleep.

In the pilot study, Lee M. Ritterband, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the UVA School of Medicine, and colleagues evaluated the effectiveness of the Internet intervention among 44 adults who had a history of sleep difficulties lasting more than 10 years on average. A total of 22 participants were randomly assigned to a control group and 22 received the Internet intervention, called SHUTi.

“All 44 patients were in the moderate severity range for insomnia when we began our study,” Ritterband says. “After completing our study 73 percent of those who used our system reported no severity of insomnia, whereas all patients who didn’t use the system continued to have the same level of moderate severity.”

Furthermore, Ritterband reports that all patients with improved sleep after using the Internet intervention maintained these improvements six months after the study’s completion. The study, supported by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, appears in the July 2009 issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

The highly interactive nine-week program uses text, graphics, animations, vignettes, quizzes and games to present behavioral, educational and cognitive techniques for improving sleep. For instance, patients were advised to avoid reading and watching television in the bedroom, stop daytime napping and change unhelpful beliefs and thoughts (including worries about the consequences of insomnia) that may exacerbate sleep difficulties.

“Our program is unique in that it engages the user and tailors the treatment to an individual’s particular needs,” says Ritterband. “These interactive components make it like no other online intervention for insomnia out there right now.”

Participants completed daily sleep diaries before and after the intervention and also rated their symptoms on the seven-item Insomnia Severity Index, which produces a score from zero (no symptoms) to 28 (severe insomnia). Among individuals who received the intervention, scores on the index improved from 15.73 to 6.59, whereas scores did not change for the control group. These gains were maintained at a six-month follow-up assessment.

“One of the exciting pieces of Internet-based interventions is to be able to provide treatment to people who otherwise might not get treatment,” says Ritterband.

Cognitive behavioral therapy a psychological treatment focusing on the behaviors and dysfunctional thoughts that contribute to sleep problems is one of the most effective treatments for insomnia.

“Unfortunately, availability of cognitive behavioral therapy is severely limited for many reasons, including lack of trained clinicians, poor geographical distribution of knowledgeable professionals, expense and inaccessibility to treatment and clinicians,” says Ritterband.

“An Internet intervention has the potential of meeting the large unmet treatment needs of the population with insomnia by providing effective treatment through the Web. An effective and inexpensive Internet intervention would expand treatment options for large numbers of adults with insomnia, especially those whose geographical location prohibits access to relevant care, and could be a substantive first-line treatment choice.”

Source: University of Virginia Health System

Stem cell technology pioneer, Plasticell, has secured an investment of ВЈ250,000 from The Capital Fund. Established in 2002, The Capital Fund is a ВЈ50 million venture capital fund that backs fast growing small and medium-sized companies in the Greater London area, and is the largest of the nine UK regional venture capital funds. This investment follows on from a recent injection of ВЈ440,000 into the Company by existing Plasticell shareholders and a ВЈ1.1 million grant from the DTI’s Technology Programme in January to support the development of stem cell robotics. Plasticell will use the new funding to develop its innovative stem cell and drug screening products.

Plasticell is a biotechnology company that has developed and holds exclusive intellectual property rights for two complementary systems in the fields of stem cell research and regenerative medicine.

Stem cells are the primal cells found in all multi-cellular organisms that retain the ability to renew themselves through cell division. Crucially, they can develop into a huge range of specialised cell types. In a developing embryo, stem cells differentiate into all of the tissues needed to grow and develop the parts of the human body. And in adults, stem cells act as a repair system for the body, replenishing damaged cells.
Identifying how stem cells develop, and encouraging them to grow into specific useful cell types, “will continue to be a bottle neck” in stem cell research, according to Plasticell Founder and Chief Executive, Dr Yen Choo. The Company’s Combinatorial Cell Culture™ product, known as CombiCult™, is a sophisticated method of directing the development of stem cells towards defined tissue types. CombiScreen™ is a separate cell-based drug-screening tool to develop small molecule drugs that regenerate cells lost as a result of organ damage or disease.

Dr Choo said: “Conventional methods of directing stem cell development involve a vast series of individual ‘trial and error’ experiments. The processes we have developed for CombiCult™ mean the trial and error stages can be performed in parallel with many thousands of possible combinations and outcomes tested for at the same time. This speeds up the testing process and can generate substantial cost savings for major pharmaceutical firms.”

The potential market in the pharmaceutical industry for tissue types grown from stem cells is enormous. When new drugs are developed there is a period of extensive testing for possible dangers or side effects. “A pharmaceutical company might approach us and say that they are developing a new drug that targets a disease of the central nervous system. We can help develop tissue that exactly matches the neurons which the new drug would be targeting, enabling the pharma company to measure the effectiveness of that drug at an early stage” Dr Choo said.

Demonstrating the high regard that the Company has within the scientific community, Plasticell has a number of top internationally renowned scientists as advisers, including two Nobel prize winners. Professor Sir Aaron Krug was awarded the chemistry prize in 1982 and, more recently, Professor Sir Martin Evans won the 2007 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in recognition of his pioneering work on stem cells.

Plasticell is the second biotechnology start-up that Dr Choo has established. Previously he was founder of Gendaq, an MRC gene regulation company that was ultimately acquired by US biotech Sangamo Biosciences. Dr Choo’s expertise in stem cells and their commercialisation is reflected in his recent appointment to the Steering Committee for the UK Stem Cell Bank and for the Use of Stem Cell Lines, the body which oversees all UK stem cell research.

Commenting on the fund-raising process, Dr Choo said: “It was a very pleasant experience working with The Capital Fund. I was particularly impressed with their enthusiasm for the Company and the products we are developing. The financing was completed swiftly on the back of our internal fundraising as we were able to quickly provide the information required under the Fund’s due diligence procedures.”

Ian Cameron, Investment Director at The Capital Fund, said: “Investing in Plasticell is an exciting opportunity for us. The Company has developed novel intellectual property with significant commercial potential which Yen Choo has the commercial and scientific skills and experience to exploit to the full. The Company has a strong financial footing already – as the recent ВЈ440,000 shareholder investment has shown. We look forward to working with Yen and his team, and following the further rapid growth of Plasticell.”

1. About The Capital Fund

Launched in 2002, The Capital Fund is a ВЈ50 million venture capital fund that backs fast-growing, small and medium-sized enterprises in Greater London. To date, the Fund has made over 55 investments in London-based companies.

Initial investments can be up to ВЈ250,000 and the Fund can invest a further ВЈ250,000 after six months or more. In some circumstances, alongside other new investors, the Fund can follow on its investments with up to ВЈ5m in total in a single company. The Capital Fund is the largest of the nine Regional Venture Capital Funds and has a mixture of public and private sector investors. For further information: www.thecapitalfund

The Capital Fund is managed by YFM Venture Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and part of the YFM Group. The YFM Group provides investment capital and business development services to SMEs throughout the UK. It currently has over ВЈ280m in funds under management, with over 90 employees.

yfmgroup

2. About Plasticell

Plasticell is a privately-owned biotechnology company that develops innovative high throughput stem cell technologies and novel drug discovery platforms to dissect the mechanisms leading to differentiation of stem cells, the master cells responsible for tissue development and repair.

Plasticell’s research focus is to discover regenerative small molecule drugs. The Company also forms industry alliances by partnering its Combinatorial Cell Culture technology for high throughput stem cell differentiation to derive cell lines and reagents for research and therapy applications.

plasticell