Nanobac Pharmaceuticals has announced it has entered into a collaboration agreement with the Fetzer Memorial Trust to photograph the replication cycle of disease-related calcifying particles (also known as nanobacteria or Calcifying Nanoparticles), using light microscopes to break the 200 nanometer ("nm") resolution barrier. The breakthrough allows Nanobac scientists to determine if calcification, which occurs in most diseases on the leading causes of death list, has a biological mechanism, which would make it susceptible to therapy. Results could generate new approaches to the treatment of calcifying diseases such as heart disease, kidney stones and diabetes, and validate the significance of related Nanobac diagnostics and therapies.
"Until now, scientists had to 'fix' or inactivate such nanoparticles to see below the 200 nm threshold using electron microscopy," explained Nanobac's Co-Chairman and Research Group head, Dr. Benedict Maniscalco. "Now we can photograph the replication cycle without inactivating the particles. This is essential because some have a replication time of days rather than minutes or hours, which rendered electron microscopy ineffective for this purpose."
The technology was developed at Auburn University and is marketed by Aetos Technologies. The "CytoViva" microscope system is capable of resolving details at or below 100 nm and of detecting particles as small as 50 nm, representing a significant improvement over conventional light microscopes. The CytoViva system was selected in June by R&D Magazine as one of the top 100 most technologically significant products introduced to the marketplace in 2006. This international award is often referred to as the 'Oscar of Inventions.'
Calcifying nanoparticles have been isolated by many researchers in diseases ranging from atherosclerosis to kidney stones, but support for research into therapies against these particles has been hampered by lack of visual proof that the particles self-replicate. "Since the 1980s scientists have tried to photograph replication of calcifying nanoparticles, without success," Dr. Maniscalco added, "Now we have the tools to do it, thanks to the innovative approach of the Fetzer Memorial Trust."
The Fetzer Memorial Trust has supported development of this technology for many years, and has made arrangements for Nanobac to use one of a very few available microscopes. The research is being done by Nanobac scientists at Nanobac laboratories located at the NASA Johnson Space Center Astrobiology Laboratories in Houston, Texas, as part of Nanobac's recently announced new core research priorities. The microscope is currently located in Nanobac's labs and work has begun. Initial results are expected by year-end. Nanobac has the exclusive right to intellectual property resulting from discoveries about calcifying nanoparticles in this research project.
http://www.nanobac.com
Posted 9th August 2006
