G:BOX Chemiluminescence Imager is used at Prestigious Research Institute - To Rapidly Determine the Pre-clinical Potential of Anti-Cancer Compounds

8th May 2009:  Cambridge, UK: Syngene, a world-leading manufacturer of image analysis solutions, is proud to announce its G:BOX chemiluminescence imaging system is being used by scientists at one of Scotland’s top Universities, Edinburgh Napier University in Edinburgh to accurately determine the effectiveness of novel anti-cancer therapies.

Researchers in the School of Life Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University are using the G:BOX chemiluminescence imaging system to image agarose gels of DNA stained with Ethidium Bromide to determine the effects that new anti-topoisomerase compounds have on topoisomerase action during the cell cycle. The researchers are also using the system to image gelatin zymograms to discover the effects that compounds have on the modulation of matrix metalloproteinases. The scientists believe their research could help develop novel drugs to treat a variety of cancers.

Dr David Mincher, Reader in Experimental Chemotherapy at Edinburgh Napier explained:” In recent years, the action of topoisomerases and matrix metalloproteinases have been implicated in many cancers. Therefore, we are looking at a number of New Chemical Entities and pro-drugs which target these proteins but to determine the efficacy of these compounds we have to be able to precisely quantify their effects on the expression of DNA or proteins. Since we need high levels of accuracy and reproducibility in our results we installed a G:BOX imaging system just over a year ago to work alongside our other Syngene image analyser and the new system has been absolutely invaluable for this project.”

Laura Sullivan, Syngene’s Divisional Manager added: “We are delighted Edinburgh Napier University has chosen to install another Syngene system and to see how much the G:BOX system is contributing to this exciting research. The work at Edinburgh Napier is an excellent endorsement of the system’s ability to rapidly produce and analyse images of applications as diverse as 1D gels, zymograms and autoradiograms and means G:BOX chemiluminescence imaging systems can be confidently used in many drug discovery programmes where accurately quantifying DNA and protein amounts is critical.”
 

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For Further Information Contact:
Jayne Arthur, Syngene, Beacon House, Nuffield Road, Cambridge, CB4 1TF, UK.
Tel: +44(0) 1223-727123 Fax +44 (0) 1223-727101
Email: jayne.arthur@syngene.com  Web site: www.syngene.com 

Dr David Mincher, Rm D6, School of Life Sciences, Merchiston Campus, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, EH10 5DT, Scotland.
Tel: +44 (0)131 455 2262 Fax: +44 (0)131 455 2291
Email: d.mincher@napier.ac.uk  Web site: www.napier.ac.uk

Editor Contact:
Dr Sue Pearson, PO Box 170, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 3GD, UK.
Tel/Fax + 44(0) 1462-635327 Email: sue6.pearson@ntlworld.com

Note to Editors

About Syngene

Syngene is a world-leading supplier of integrated imaging solutions for analysis and documentation of gel-based information. Syngene’s systems are used by more than 10,000 research organisations and over 50,000 individual scientists world-wide and include many of the world’s top pharmaceutical companies and major research institutes.

Syngene, founded in 1997 is a division of the Cambridge based Synoptics Group. The Group’s other divisions, Syncroscopy and Synbiosis, specialise in digital imaging solutions for microscopy and microbial applications respectively. Synoptics currently employs over 40 people in its UK and subsidiary operation in Frederick, USA.

About Edinburgh Napier University

Founded in Edinburgh in 1964, Edinburgh Napier University was recently named as Scotland’s number one modern university by the Guardian Newspaper’s University Guide. The University is organised in three faculties and has over 14,000 students.

Based at the Merchiston campus, the School of Life Sciences at Edinburgh Napier University has excellent and high-profile research programmes, with specialist facilities offered by the School including state-of-the-art biological, biomedical and sports performance laboratories. Current research activities include investigations in the areas of environmental pollution, animal behaviour, and the design of anti-cancer therapeutics.