JPK
Instruments, a world-leading manufacturer of nanoanalytic instrumentation
for research in life sciences and soft matter, is pleased to announce the installation
of multiple instrument solutions at the new Swansea University (Wales, UK) Centre
for NanoHealth.
Image of a cell growing on an artificial scaffold, developed at Swansea University, which could be used for wound healing
One of the biggest challenges facing the future of healthcare is enhancing
early intervention in diagnosing and treating diseases in non-hospital environments;
in the home, community clinic or local doctors’ surgery. Current medical
practice is based around relatively late intervention, which with many diseases
does not result in complete cure, but rather extends a patient’s life
whilst, hopefully, maintaining quality of life. The key to early intervention
is the earliest possible detection of disease, and the swift identification
of appropriate medical or surgical treatments. The Centre for NanoHealth is
a unique interdisciplinary research centre based on the application of Nanotechnology
leading innovations in Healthcare established to address these challenges.
The acquisition of the latest instrumentation techniques is of important benefit
to the Centre’s future research programs and the announcement that JPK
Instruments is supply multiple solutions is welcomed by the group. Using JPK’s
patented NanoWizard® AFM platform, systems will initially be used in three
exciting applications areas. Dr. Chris Wright will lead a team to study cell
mechanics as part of his program on bionanotechnology which focuses on nanoscale
mechanisms of disease and its control. Dr. Peter Dunstan will be developing
chemical finger printing techniques using TERS – tip enhanced Raman spectroscopy
which will couple the AFM to a Raman spectrometer. Professor Steve Wilks is
to use new electrical mode innovations to develop the next generation of diagnostic
sensors having unprecedented sensitivity by applying nanowire technology.
The choice of JPK to supply these systems came after extensive evaluation of
different vendors to match the needs of the Centre. JPK responded with the commitment
to deliver the best instrumentation and unrivalled customer-focused applications
support to match their company goal of bridging the worlds of nanotechnology
tools and life science applications with cutting-edge technology and unique
applications expertise.
Professor Steve Wilks, Deputy Head of the Swansea University’s School
of Engineering and Director of The Centre for NanoHealth said: “The JPK
instruments will provide the CNH with a world-leading platform to understand
the behaviour of cells and proteins at the nanoscale and identify key detection
mechanisms for clinical screening. This is essential for the development of
next generation medical sensors for diagnosing diseases at a much earlier stage.”
Posted March 23rd, 2010