Proteome Sciences awarded EU grant of €530K

Proteome Sciences plc announces that it is a participant in a new project, that has been awarded a €6.99m EU Framework 7 Grant over the next two years to study the effects of environmental contamination in health and developmental disorders in children.  Proteome Sciences will receive €530,058 for its contribution to the project.

The main aim of the “DENAMIC” project is to develop tools and methods to monitor neurotoxic effects of environmental pollutants that may cause adverse effects on cognitive skills and developmental disorders in children (including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, autism and anxiety disorders).

Proteome Sciences will investigate the effects of neurotoxic chemicals on proteins, peptides and biochemical pathways in cell models and tissue to generate a database of protein biomarkers associated with chemical exposure. The study will be undertaken with mass spectrometry using TMT® labelled peptides and from which biomarker assays will be developed. This approach enables validation of protein biomarkers with relatively high throughput, avoiding the need of immunoassay development, and having the advantages of being able to verify biomarkers when antibodies are unavailable.

Commenting on the DENAMIC Grant award Christopher Pearce, Chief Executive of Proteome Sciences said: “Following on from Proteome Sciences’ highly successful Sens-it-iv EU Framework 6 award, www.sens-it-iv.eu, we are extending our biomarker research in environmental pollutants through the new DENAMIC programme. This will address the effects on cognitive skills and developmental disorders in children and should allow us to generate a range of novel diagnostic biomarker assays to help to manage these debilitating diseases through early diagnosis and to assist in the development of new treatments. We have excellent partners in the DENAMIC consortium and we look forward to a highly productive programme.”