Syngene - GeneGenius Speeds up Quality Checking To Help Develop Effective and Inexpensive Anti-venom

January 27th 2004, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge, UK: Syngene, a world-leading manufacturer of image analysis solutions, is delighted to announce that its GeneGenius automated image analyser is allowing scientists at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine to rapidly check the quality of DNA being used to generate life saving anti-venom. 

Researchers in the Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine are using the Syngene GeneGenius to check the quality and quantity of DNA derived from genes encoding metalloprotease, C-type lectin, phospholipase A2, disintegrin and serine protease snake venom toxins of the three most medically-important viper species in Africa. Using this DNA the scientists are immunising mice to produce antibodies which will neutralise the venom. It is hoped that these antibodies can be further developed as broad use anti-venom. A DNA immunisation approach is less expensive than traditional methods of producing anti-venom and will therefore make it affordable in countries such as Africa, where death caused by vipers is common (20,000 per annum).  

Dr. Robert Harrison, Research Fellow in the Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit, explained: “The GeneGenius is used by around 30 people, mainly to quality check PCR products on ethidium bromide stained gels. We chose it because it is cheaper than a high end Polaroid system and has the advantage of recording each gel.The system offers a convenient way of storing images, which is useful because it means we do not have to digitise Polaroid images by scanning them in. This makes tracking every result easier and looking at raw data quicker. If our anti-venom is going to be used in clinical trials there have to be reliable records of the pre-clinical work and the GeneGenius provides this security.”
 
Paul Ellwood, Syngene’s Sales and Marketing Director added: “It is always very satisfying to see the GeneGenius being used to save time in worthwhile projects. The ability to maintain good records is crucial when developing potential pharmaceuticals, and it is important to know the scientists at the Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit have confidence in the GeneGenius’ ability to do just that.”

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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. Robert A. Harrison, Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, L3 5QA, UK.Tel: +44 (0) 151-705-3164 Fax: +44 (0) 151-705-3371
Email: r.harrison@liverpool.ac.uk  Web site: www.liv.ac.uk/lstm 
 
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 Synoptics Group based in Cambridge, UK. The Group’s other divisions; Syncroscopy and Synbiosis, specialise in digital imaging solutions for microscopy and microbial applications respectively. Synoptics currently employs 55 people in its UK and subsidiary operation in Frederick, USA. The Group has profitable revenue of almost $10 million and continues to grow rapidly. 

About the Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit  
The Alistair Reid Venom Research Unit at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine conducts basic and applied biomedical research on snake venom. The Unit’s focus is to develop strategies aimed at improving the treatment of venomous snakebites. Wide-ranging approaches to these studies include molecular and cell biology, biochemistry and pharmacology and though much of the Unit’s activity is centred in the laboratory, many relevant research findings have been translated into a clinical setting.