Deakin research offers new hope for leukaemia sufferers

Deakin University researchers in Advanced Materials are involved in a new research project aimed at improving the success rates of bone marrow and cord blood transplants in the treatment of leukaemia.

The research partnership also includes the Victorian Centre for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing - based on Deakin’s Geelong Campus at Waurn Ponds - Barwon Biomedical Research and a Geelong-based, international bio-reagents company, Cytomatrix.

“It’s fantastic for Deakin to be involved in these sorts of cutting edge research partnerships,” said Professor Andrew Parratt, head of the University’s Institute for Technology Research and Innovation.

“Professor Xungai Wang and Dr Tong Lin are world leaders in developing advanced materials that have medical applications.”

The research aims to develop a new Haematopoietic Stem Cell expansion kit to be used to expand the number of Haematopoietic Stem Cells, one of the key active ingredients in bone marrow and cord blood transplants.

The first generation kit will focus on cord blood expansion and it is anticipated that it will improve the proportion of patients able to have transplants, mostly children, from around 40 per cent to 90 per cent and extend the use of cord blood transplants.

“It is pleasing to be able to help bring together major Geelong research institutions on a project like this,” said Dr Adrian Hodgson, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Cytomatrix.

“Currently the majority of patients who are diagnosed with leukaemia, and who can be treated with a bone marrow or a cord blood transplant, are unable to find a matching donor,” said Dr Hodgson

“A prototype of the expansion kit has already been designed and pre-clinical trials are planned to begin this year, with Phase 1 clinical trials planned for 2010”.

“This is an exciting time for transplant therapy world wide.”

For further information on Dr Tong Lin and his research:
http://www.deakin.edu.au/itri/cmfi/staff/tong-lin.php

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