Cyntellect and Boston University sign research collaboration agreement

Dec 8 2009

Cyntellect, Inc., a privately-held life sciences company commercializing products to advance life science and stem cell research, biopharmaceutical production, and drug discovery, today announced it has entered into a research collaboration agreement with the Boston University School of Medicine.

The agreement focuses on advancing research in the roles of mitochondrial oxidative damage in degenerative, aging and metabolic diseases, such as anemia and diabetes. Boston University scientists will use Cyntellect’s award-winning LEAP™ Cell Processing Workstation to analyze, purify and process cells with great precision and simplicity within microplates, right where they are grown in the lab.

“Cellular imaging is central to our research and much effort is dedicated to developing novel techniques for monitoring living cells,” said Dr. Orian Shirihai, Director of the Cell Imaging Core at Boston University. Dr Shirihai’s research is focused on the field of mitochondria and β-cell function and dysfunction related to diabetes. Dr. Shirihai noted “Cyntellect’s LEAP workstation will give us a valuable tool to advance our studies by adding unique cell processing capabilities within the context of a cell imaging system. We will study two disease models in which oxidative damage to mitochondria play a key role in the development of pathology. In diabetes, nutrient-induced oxidative damage has been shown to be a major mediator of endocrine dysfunction and beta cell loss. In bone marrow, oxidative damage can lead to the development of anemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.”

Cyntellect is committed to collaborating with top academic research institutions and key opinion leaders in the life sciences to broaden the applications utility of the LEAP product. “We are very proud to undertake this program with Boston University,” said Dr. Fred Koller, President and CEO of Cyntellect. “Mitochondria in β-cells play a key role as integrators of nutrient signals and insulin secretion. The mechanisms that underlie deterioration of mitochondrial function during the development of diabetes are critical for understanding the etiology of this disease. The LEAP workstation offers an ideal platform for dissecting the roles of mitochondria in β-cells.”