Moving new technology from the laboratory to patients’ bedsides takes more than just a clever idea. It often requires the combined expertise of university researchers who develop the technology and industry scientists who understand what it takes to get innovations to the marketplace.
That’s exactly what two Washington University scientists had in mind when they created a consortium of experts from academia and industry. Their goal: to bring the promise of new technology to the public for the early detection and treatment of heart disease and cancer.
The Washington University Consortium for Translational Research in Advanced Imaging and Nanotechnology (C-TRAIN) unites under one roof physicists, chemists, engineers, cell biologists, computer software engineers and physicians; the industrial powerhouses Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Imaging, Philips Medical Systems, IBM Corp., Dow Chemical Co.; and local biotechnology company Kereos. This collaborative, open framework is designed to break down the physical barriers that separate academic and industry scientists and speed the development of more precise imaging agents and targeted therapies.
An opening reception for C-TRAIN will be held Friday, Oct. 20 in the CORTEX building at Forest Park Avenue and Boyle Street from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
The consortium is the vision of Samuel A. Wickline, M.D., and Gregory M. Lanza, M.D., Ph.D. Both are professors of medicine and biotechnology at the School of Medicine and heart specialists at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Together they developed microscopic beads called nanoparticles that have the potential to revolutionize the way cancer and heart disease are diagnosed and treated. The nanoparticle technology has been proven effective against cancer and cardiovascular disease in laboratory animals; human studies are set to begin later this year.
“C-TRAIN provides a venue for investigators to pursue clinically relevant research in molecular imaging and nanomedicine for the benefit of patients,” said Wickline. “We not only want to collaborate with basic and clinical researchers but develop a fertile environment for transferring technology to industry partners in the St. Louis area and beyond.”
The consortium will focus on developing a broad range of technology, including nanotechnology. It is the umbrella organization for more than 40 researchers and staff and is supported by more than $23 million in federal grants and corporate partnerships.
“Nanotechnology has the potential to dramatically change the way patients are treated,” Lanza said. “C-TRAIN’s collaborative, multidisciplinary approach is likely to speed our ability to bring nanotechnology and other innovations to the marketplace.”