The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Shimadzu Corporation Announce a Collaborative Research Agreement to Develop New Analytical Platforms for the Detection and Analysis of Cancer-Associated Proteins and Peptides
Columbia, Md., June 4, 2008 — Shimadzu Corporation (Kyoto, Japan), a world leader in the development of technology solutions, today announced collaboration between its Mass Spectrometry Research Laboratory (Kyoto, Japan), Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (Columbia, MD) and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) (Seattle, WA). The collaboration will focus on the development of new analytical platforms for the detection and analysis of cancer-related proteins and peptides.
Most current collaborations in the field of proteomics and biomarkers have simply applied existing instrumentation and technology in an attempt to identify biochemical features that are indicative of disease presence or progression. Most of these collaborations have been hampered by the biological complexity of the clinical samples and the fundamental limitations of the existing sample preparation and spectrometry tools. The goal of the Shimadzu / Hutchinson Center collaboration is to develop, enhance and apply innovative multidimensional analytical platforms to overcome both the sample complexity issues and the technology limitations.
In order to achieve this, Shimadzu researchers, including Koichi Tanaka, the 2002 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, will work in tandem with researchers at the Hutchinson Center on the development and application of next-generation analytical tools and mass spectrometry platforms. According to Tanaka, “The collaboration with FHCRC will pave the way for realizing the potential for completely new mass spectrometry platforms.”
Sam Hanash, MD, PhD, who leads the collaborative effort with Shimadzu at FHCRC, emphasized the need for integrated platforms and the importance of the collaboration with Shimadzu to address the complexity and vast dynamic range of protein abundance in biospecimens and the potential to uncover unique protein structural modifications associated with cancer and other diseases.
New technology platforms will ultimately be developed by Shimadzu. Other terms of the collaboration were not disclosed.
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About Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
At the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, interdisciplinary teams of world-renowned scientists and humanitarians work together to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, HIV/AIDS and other diseases. Hutchinson Center researchers, including three Nobel laureates, bring a relentless pursuit and passion for health, knowledge and hope to their work and to the world. For more information, please visit www.fhcrc.org.
About Shimadzu Corporation
Shimadzu Corporation develops and manufactures analytical and monitoring equipment for science laboratories worldwide. Its products include imaging systems for medical diagnosis such as ultrasound systems and mobile X-ray systems, as well as spectrophotometers and chromatography systems for the life science sector. Founded in 1975, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (SSI) is the North American arm of the analytical instruments manufacturer. For more information about Shimadzu’s extensive line of laboratory offerings, please visit www.shimadzu.com.
Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Inc.
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www.ssi.shimadzu.com
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