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The need to manage, analyse and interpret the volumes of data and literature generated by modern high-throughput biology has become a major barrier to progress. Research at the University of Manchester on interoperability and advanced interfaces has resulted in innovative software (Utopia Documents) that links biomedical data with scientific literature. The software has been adopted by international publishing houses (Portland Press, Elsevier, Springer, etc.), allowing them to explore new business models, and by pharmaceutical companies (e.g. AstraZeneca, Roche), providing new opportunities to explore more efficient, cost-effective methods for exploiting and sharing in-house data and knowledge. The research also led to a spin-out company, Lost Island Labs, in 2012, which expects a profit [text removed for publication] in its first year.
Research at the University of Manchester (UoM) has changed the landscape of medical care and research in fungal infections internationally. The impacts include: the world's first commercialised molecular diagnostic products for aspergillosis and Pneumocystis pneumonia (£10m investment); pivotal contributions to the preclinical development (£35m investment), clinical developments and registrations of 3 new antifungals with combined market share of ~$2 billion; one (voriconazole, 2012 sales >$750m worldwide) now first line therapy for invasive aspergillosis with improved survival of 15-20%; and internationally validated methods to detect azole resistance in Aspergillus (an emerging problem partly related to environmental spraying of azole fungicides for crop protection).
MicroRNAs are a class of non-protein-coding RNA genes that regulate the expression of protein-coding mRNAs in animals and plants. Researchers at the University of Manchester (UoM) have developed a microRNA database (miRBase) which has become an essential resource for researchers both in academia and the pharmaceutical industry. The database is the central global repository for all published microRNA sequences and annotation.
miRBase data enables production of novel experimental kits and resources (including microRNA qPCR assays and microarrays) by companies including ABI, Invitrogen, Sigma-Aldrich and Exiqon. Tools produced by these companies underpin experimental microRNA research across academic and industrial settings, which benefit product development, drug discovery and clinical research. Exiqon reported more than 110 million DKK in revenue from their life science business in 2012, with main product lines involving microRNAs.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides measurements for quantitative, non-invasive, diagnostic, repeatable monitoring of disease. MRI biomarkers research at the University of Manchester (UoM) spans cancer, lung disease, neurology and more. Our research has produced methods that are widely used by the pharmaceutical industry for drug development decision-making (including ≥ seven AstraZeneca development molecules, plus other pharma), leading to economic benefit, and for healthcare impact (e.g., influencing diagnostic MRI tools introduced by Philips and creating new tools via spin-outs). The methods have been delivered in part via an award-winning UoM spin-out SME, Bioxydyn (incorporated 2009; 2012 turnover £630K; employing 12 staff).
Development of the human cell GADD45a assay enabled accurate identification of carcinogens in vitro, with a low rate of misleading positives. Through the spin-out company Gentronix, this research is reducing costs to industry and decreasing the use of animals in research. Industrial collaboration has enabled commercial adoption of the technology in many sectors. With a 10-fold increase in orders in 2012 versus 2008, Gentronix is a profitable business employing 17 people and with an annual turnover of £1.88m. During 2008-12, Gentronix released a series of new products, established testing services, and signed a product license agreement with GlaxoSmithKline. More than 100 companies worldwide are using Gentronix kits, including pharmaceutical, agricultural and health and beauty companies, along with manufacturers of food flavourings and household goods. The Gentronix assay is currently being reviewed by the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods.
Research on ester liquids (ELs) has proved they can be used in high-voltage (HV) transformers, bringing economic and safety advantages to the power industry and environmental benefits to society. Impact includes revisions to National Grid's oil policy recommending ester-filled HV transformers for use in London and the design and operation of the first 132kV "green" transformer (valued between £1m and £2m). The research has led directly to the creation of two international standards for professionals in global power utilities specifying the use of ELs in transformers. These developments have contributed directly to Manchester SME M&I Materials increasing sales from £15m (2008) to £29m (2012).
A critical step in drug discovery is accurate determination of bioactive 3-dimensional structures of biologically-relevant molecules. Almond and Blundell's proprietary method for analysing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) data has led to a world-first capability and establishment of the company Conformetrix (renamed C4X Discovery in 2013). The platform technology ('MolGyrate') is used to determine the dynamic 3-dimensional-conformation of biologically relevant molecules directly from NMR data within weeks, compared with months to years for traditional methods. C4X Discovery has secured substantial private investment (the company has not disclosed the amount). In 2012 AstraZeneca began to apply the technology across their entire pre-clinical therapeutic pipeline to enhance lead discovery and hit identification.
The protein research of Imperial's Mass Spectrometry group led to the development of Mass Mapping /Fingerprinting for rapid protein characterisation, and new methods for disulphide bridge and glycosylation assignment. Commercialising these discoveries, the company M-SCAN has developed methods to accelerate industrial research and commercialisation of the next generation of recombinant drug therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies targeting cancers. M-SCAN is the pioneer of Biopharmaceutical Characterisation. It has influenced the regulatory advice and, in the past ten years, has assisted many hundreds of companies worldwide in developing their products for market, leading to the growth of a profitable business. In 2010, SGS S.A., a multinational company that provides inspection, verification, testing and certification services, acquired M-SCAN for an undisclosed sum, satisfying SGS's vision to become one of the top players within the Biologics testing arena.
The lasting impact of Professor Prag's work on facial reconstruction is that it has become a vital tool for archaeologists, helping them to understand the past better. Facial reconstruction now plays a major role in many museum exhibitions around the world and the techniques developed in Manchester have increased public interest in past civilizations. An important aspect in the reconstruction process is the ability to work across disciplines to produce a complete picture. Manchester has pioneered this method of collaborative working with some ground-breaking results. The facial recognition methods established by Professor Prag continue to impact on archaeological and museum practices around the world to bring history truly to life.
15m people have a stroke each year worldwide. In England alone, stroke generates direct care costs of £3bn and a wider economic burden of £8bn. Service users report high levels of unmet need in relation to cognitive dysfunction (e.g. concentration). Improving cognition was the number one priority agreed by users and providers (James Lind Alliance, Lancet Neurology 2012). Research led by the University of Manchester (UoM) underpins recommendations in several recent clinical guidelines for stroke management and rehabilitation in the UK and internationally. Our 2012 aphasia trial and qualitative study made key contributions to the recommendations in the recent NICE (2013) and Intercollegiate Stroke Working Party (2012) guidelines. UoM-led Cochrane reviews (e.g., neglect, apraxia, perception) have directly influenced recommendations in guidelines produced by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, the European Stroke Organization and the Australian National Stroke Foundation.