[news 2007-2008]

Queen’s electroporation technology receives $45,000 in development funding from OCE

For immediate release

April 9, 2007

KINGSTON, ON --A technology developed by a Queen’s University researcher for studying the cell processes that lead to disease has received $45,000 in development funding from the Ontario Centres of Excellence Market Readiness Program.

The technology, known as adherent cell electroporation, builds on an earlier, patented electroporation method and device developed by Dr. Leda Raptis of Queen’s University.

Electroporation enables researchers to introduce molecules into living cells by making cell membranes temporarily “porous” through the application of transient electrical fields. By examining the cells before and after the molecules are introduced, scientists are better able to understand the complex mechanisms involved in cellular functions, and thus uncover the processes that lead to diseases such as cancer.

Dr. Raptis’s original idea was brought to fruition with the engineering design of Kevin Firth of ASK Science Products Inc., a Kingston-based startup company. ASK licensed Dr. Raptis’s technology from PARTEQ Innovations, the technology transfer office of Queen’s, in 2000. The original technology is now used by more than 50 labs worldwide, and it has generated more than 35 scholarly publications in top journals.

Dr. Raptis and Mr. Firth have since developed a simpler, less expensive version of their electroporation device that lends itself to automation and scale-up for use in research and drug development. The new technology will be actively marketed by ASK in collaboration with U.K.-based Cell Projects Ltd., a user of the researchers’ earlier electroporation device.

The development funding will support prototyping, testing and market launch of the product. PARTEQ has applied for patent protection of the technology. Cell Projects will assist the inventors in advancing the technology to market through its worldwide distribution network to electroporation product customers. The company is also providing an additional $10,000 in financial support to the project.

“This represents significant progress in the commercialization of a successful university-discovered technology,” says Randall North, Associate Director of Commercial Development at PARTEQ Innovations. “Not only does this new product streamline and simplify the process for which it was originally developed, it also addresses the needs of researchers in the relatively new and growing fields of DNA research, adherent cell technology and biophotonics, amongst others.”

“The commercialization of this technology can have far-reaching socioeconomic benefit, and we are pleased that our investment will help to successfully bring it to market,” says Bryan Kanarens, OCE’s Director of Strategic Programs for the Centre for Communications and Information Technology.

Contact:
Randall North
Associate Director, Commercial Development
PARTEQ Innovations
P: 613. 533. 6000 xt. 78355
E: rnorth@parteqinnovations.com

Kevin Firth
ASK Science Products Inc.
P: 613. 547. 4160
E: kevinf@kingston.net

Dr. Leda Raptis
Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology
Queen’s University
P: 613. 533. 2462
E: raptisl@post.queensu.ca


About the Ontario Centres of Excellence Market Readiness Program at Queen’s University:
The OCE Market Readiness initiative supports the development of commercial applications for technology created within Ontario's universities, colleges and research hospitals. Earlier this year OCE announced a unique collaboration with Queen’s University’s PARTEQ Innovations to expand the scope of its Market Readiness Program to include hands-on commercialization support. Under this partnership, eligible researchers who are interested in further developing their research applications receive both funding and expertise including market assessment, technology evaluation, and, where applicable, assistance with creating spin-off companies.

About Cell Projects Ltd.
Cell Projects Ltd. of Kent, U.K., designs and manufactures highly innovative molecular biology solutions for electroporation, PCR, DNA sample handling and other life science technologies. The company also offers contract manufacturing to meet the rapid prototyping needs of companies in the life science, molecular biology, genomics and high throughput screening markets.