UniQuest Pty Limited is working with three University of Queensland scientists to commercialise a unique contrast agent to enhance the use of MRI in treating cancer and brain diseases.
While still in the research and development phase, the contrast agent has the potential to revolutionise the use of MRI.
Spokesperson for the UQ researchers, Dr Elizabeth Coulson said scientists around the world were racing to create the first “smart” contrast agent to measure biological processes in the body.
“Our contrast agent is based on a biomarker for cell death in the human body, which means it could be used in conjunction with MRI to visualise and measure the cancer treatment or the progression of neurological diseases such as dementia,” said Dr Coulson.
“With cancer for example, it would allow us to measure how effectively chemotherapy was killing a tumour. It could also or potentially it could be used as a diagnostic to help specify cancer treatments.”
The contrast agent was jointly conceived by Dr Coulson from the Queensland Brain Institute, Dr Madeleine Schultz from the School of Molecular and Microbial Sciences, and Dr Nyoman Kurniawan from the Centre for Magnetic Resonance/Queensland Brain Institute.
All early-career researchers, the trio came up with the concept for the contrast agent over coffee while at a Research Commercialisation Workshop run by UniQuest. They then entered their idea in UniQuest’s annual innovation competition, Trailblazer.
“Winning Trailblazer was amazing and it provided us with the funding to take the first steps to develop our concept into reality,” said Dr Coulson.
“We hope to have an added advantage over other contrast agent research groups because we bring together expertise from several different research fields as well as a fresh perspective.
“In addition, we’re lucky because UQ is a world leader in MRI research and development and we will be using a MRI machine with the highest performance standard in the industry.”
UniQuest Managing Director, David Henderson, said the contrast agent was an exciting innovation with the potential to help millions of people around the world.
“This research project is a wonderful example of the vital role UniQuest is playing in fostering innovative thinking as well as providing the funding and structure to take the research to an international market,” said Mr Henderson.
For more information: Dr Elizabeth Coulson Telephone: 07 3346 8824 Email: e.coulson@uq.edu.au or Julia Renaud, Corporate Development Manager, UniQuest Telephone: 07 3365 4037 Mobile: 0438 436 179 Email: j.renaud@uniquest.com.au
