Translating technology from the laboratory to the clinic: Breath analysis and SIFT-MS

Medical applications of breath analysis go back more than 2000 years to Hippocrates, who noted the link between breath aroma and disease. However, it was not until the end of the last century and beginning of this century that developments such as gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS), selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS) and proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) have helped to identify hundreds of volatile compounds in exhaled breath. More recently, the translation of technology from the laboratory into the clinic has led to the analysis of breath from patients with malignant and non–malignant diseases. While GC-MS and PTR-MS are largely qualitative techniques, SIFT-MS (developed at Keele University by Professor David Smith FRS and Professor Patrik Španěl) is both qualitative and quantitative. This allows the concentrations of specific breath markers, mostly volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in exhaled breath to be determined with accuracy and precision, and acceptable in clinical diagnosis. Breath sampling is non-invasive and can be achieved in real time with no discomfort to patients, including young children and frail patients. Hence, SIFT-MS has the potential to be a robust and valuable tool in support of clinical practice for disease diagnosis.

Management of lung cancer is an area where SIFT-MS has real potential. In the UK, just under 40,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer each year. More important, it is the UK’s most common cause of cancer death for both men (24% of all cancer deaths) and women (20% of all cancer deaths). As early stage diagnosis is associated with increased survival rates, it is hypothesised that the detection of VOCs released by lung cancer cells would improve early diagnosis and prognosis. At present, assessment of a tumour’s response to treatment still relies heavily on imaging techniques such as chest X-Rays and CT scans. There is, therefore, great potential for a cheaper, on-line, radiation-free and non-invasive system that is capable of detecting and managing diseases, such as lung cancer. This is something that breath analysis and SIFT-MS may be able to offer in the near future.

Non invasive breath analysis—
Dr JosepSulé-Suso (right) with PhD student Abigail Rutter (left).   

Although much work has been carried out in the search for volatile biomarkers in exhaled breath of individuals with lung tumours, no single VOC or combination of VOCs have convincingly been identified. Over the last few years, we have carried out work at the Institute for Science & Technology in Medicine (ISTM) on the release of VOCs by lung cells in vitro. This research has shown that lung cancer cells have a VOC emission profile that seems to differ from their normal lung cell counterparts. These encouraging results are leading further work to unambiguously identify individual biomarker VOCs that could support lung cancer diagnosis. This should lead to the development and production of analytical instrumentation for real time breath analysis that could be readily utilised in hospitals and GP surgeries.

ISTM & hospital partners training Nigerian engineers: A boost for biomedical engineering in Africa

Biomedical Engineering (BME) is by its very nature a multidisciplinary occupation. It reaches from basic research into human physiology, through the development of devices and novel treatments for disease, to the translation and sustainable use of medical devices in the healthcare arena. An important area of BME is clinical engineering and the management of medical devices. Technology plays an increasingly important role in the delivery of healthcare services, and the proper management of medical technology is essential for ensuring the safe and efficient use of medical devices.

Left to Right: Kabiru Abdullahi; Dave Butler; Abdullahi Mu'azu Gigane; Garba Mohammed Ladan; Ed Chadwick; Aminu Sani; and Translate’s very own, Joseph Clarke.

The BME programme at Keele enjoys close links with the University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM), a relationship that has been built over the last 15 years that the course has been running. In recent years, the course has seen a growing interest in BME from students from a number of African countries including Uganda, Ghana and Nigeria. Many African hospitals now have substantial inventories of medical equipment, allowing them to deliver advanced patient care, and are realising the importance of properly managing that equipment to ensure the long-term viability of their clinical services.

Last year, a high-level delegation from Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, in Sokoto, Nigeria visited Keele. They came to see the facilities we have to offer at the Institute for Science & Technology in Medicine (ISTM) and the Medical School, as well as the close links with UHNM and the support provided by the Clinical Technology Department led by Mr David Butler. This visit was initiated by a former student of our BME Masters programme, Mr Umar Mohammed, who impressed his managers with his ability to implement the skills he had learned here at Keele on his return to Sokoto.

A memorandum of understanding was subsequently signed between the Nigerian Hospital and Keele University to provide a customised, three-month training programme in Biomedical Engineering through ISTM, the School of Medicine and the Department of Clinical Technology at UHNM.

The first cohort of visiting engineers from Sokoto in Nigeria completed their training in Biomedical Engineering in December 2014. The trainees followed modules in Physiological Measurement and Medical Equipment Management, and spent four weeks on clinical placement at UHNM with a short training visit at our other hospital partner, the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) in Oswestry. The first four trainees to complete the programme, Aminu Sani Sokoto, Garba Ladan, Abdullahi Mu'azu Gigane and Kabiru Abdullahi, are shown below receiving their certificates with Dr Ed Chadwick, Program Lead, Mr Joseph Clark, Programme Administrator and Mr Dave Butler, Head of Clinical Technology at UHNM.

Building on this solid start to our relationship with Usman Danfodiyo, the hospital has sent another student to study for the MSc this year, and is currently discussing options for PhD studies and staff exchange. Keele is proud to be playing a role in the development of BME services by supporting educational provision in Nigeria.

Medical students visit from Saudi Arabia

For the fourth year, a group of students from the College of Medicine at Al Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud University in Saudi Arabia visited the Institute for Science & Technology in Medicine (ISTM) during August 2014.

Mr Mark Smith, Dr Paul Roach, Professor Andy Garner & other representatives from Keele University welcome the Saudi students.

The fourteen students and their tutor learnt about the latest research carried out at ISTM and the University Hospital of North Midlands (UHNM), including plenty of hands-on experience learning techniques and how to use the latest scientific equipment. Lectures included a visit to the Keele Active Virtual Environment (KAVE) and Anatomy Suite, and tours of UHNM departments such as the Cancer Centre and Obs & Gynae which host significant research projects involving UHNM patients. The students were also able to experience British culture with a traditional fish and chip dinner at the home of Mark Smith, ISTM's Research Manager.

The academic programme has been developed and managed by Dr Paul Roach, and this year the students were accompanied by Dr Waleed Al-Shaqha, Vice Dean for Research at Al Imam University. Dr Al-Shaqha took the opportunity to meet Professor Andy Garner, Dean of Health, and other key staff in the University and UHNM to discuss future collaborations, undergraduate medical student placements and research degrees.

Conference roundup 2014

TERMIS-Europe presents one of the major international conferences in the field of tissue engineering. As such, it is always a fascinating forum to share ideas and connect with researchers across a multitude of disciplines.

This year saw a large delegation from Keele, presenting our recent work on nanoparticle-based approaches for regenerative medicine, biomaterials and stem cell therapies for bone and cartilage engineering.

Many of the themes this year focussed on translation, with impressive keynote lectures on the state of the art in applying laboratory approaches to treating patients in the clinic.

As always, the TERMIS social programme was spectacular – featuring an after-hours tour of Genoa aquarium, cocktails, an array of fresh seafood and a variety of Renaissance palaces.

Next year the TERMIS world congress will take place in Boston and we hope to have a similarly large delegation from Keele, to share our research in regenerative medicine and connect with YOU – colleagues and friends from around the world.

We also tour other conferences throughout the year where you can see us present. Please feel free to come and say hello if you see our presentations or posters!


BIRAX
Britain Israel
Research and Academic Exchange Partnership
Israel
25-26 March

Mag(NET)icFun
Genoa
2-4 June

TERMIS-EU
Tissue Engineering &
Regenerative Medicine International
Society (Europe)
Genoa, Italy
10-13 June

Scientific & Clinical
Applications of Magnetic Carriers
Dresden, Germany
10-14 June

ARUK
Arthritis Research UK
(Biomechanics and Bioengineering)
Loughborough
19 June

BRS
Bone Research Society
Sheffield
25-26 June

TCES
Tissue & Cell Engineering Society
Newcastle
2-4 July

SPEC
Krakow, Poland
17-22 August

ESB
European Society for Biomaterials
Liverpool
31 August – 3 September

FIRM
Future Investigators in
Regenerative Medicine
Girona, Spain
8-11 September

EMRS
European Materials
Research Society
Warsaw, Poland
15-19 September

MSCA (YI)
Mercia Stem Cell Alliance
(and Young
Investigators meeting)
Liverpool
18-19 September

TERMIS-AP
Tissue Engineering
& Regenerative Medicine International Society
(Asia-Pacific)
Daegu, Rep. Korea
24-27 September

Bioreactors and Growth Environments for Tissue Engineering Training Course

This 3-day interactive training course is targeted at industry and academia at postgraduate levels. Delegates are provided with a comprehensive understanding of the use of Bioreactors in Tissue Engineering. The course focuses on bioreactors and growth environments for tissue engineering, covering bone, cartilage and connective tissue engineering.

This workshop will include:

· Bioreactor design for complex tissues 

· Mechanical Bioreactors—design & optimisation 

· QA/Growing cells for clinical 

· Building on-line monitoring into Bioreactors

· Practical sessions—Design a bioreactor / Parameter optimisation

Additional workshop features: 

· Hands on experience in practical break-out sessions 

· Direct interaction with opinion leaders in the field

· Industrial and academic demonstration of Bioreactors 

Monday 17th to Wednesday 19th November 2014 

Sustainability Hub, Keele University 

Organised by 

Prof Alicia J. El Haj & Dr Nicholas R. Forsyth 

from the 

Institute for Science & Technology in 

Medicine, Keele University 

Registration is now open. Please visit: 

http://www.keele.ac.uk/biote/home/

Or contact 

Joseph Clarke

+44 (0) 1782 674998

j.clarke@keele.ac.uk

FIRM 2014 Early Career Symposium Future Investigators of Regenerative Medicine

Future Investigators of Regenerative Medicine (FIRM) was established by four members of the Doctoral Training Centre in Regenerative Medicine seeking to create a forum for young researchers, to come together in a friendly and informal setting. This allows the creation of new networks early on in their careers that can lead to future worldwide collaborations, whilst also gaining invaluable experience presenting at an international conference. With over 70 attendees from 32 international institutions FIRM 2013 has already begun to build a large community of early career researchers with collaborative work starting from the moment the symposium finished.

FIRM symposium 2014 plans to be bigger and better than last year. Whilst keeping the best bits in; the networking, open discussions, quick fire poster presentations and oral presentation slots, they have also created new sessions in response to last year’s feedback, with more interactive debates and career development training workshops rounding off the FIRM experience. These training workshops will provide attendees with the knowledge and skills to further their personal development and gain experience in areas such as clinical delivery, imaging, communication and commercialisation.

This years title ‘Life Cycle of Cell Therapies’ is broken down into five interconnected sessions, Fundamental Biology, Biomaterials, Enabling Technology, Commercialisation and Clinical Delivery. In order to produce a viable cell therapy industry all these pieces need to work together, like cogs in a well oiled machine.

To enable this FIRM have secured a number of world renowned international keynote speakers purposely chosen to bring forward knowledge in every aspect of the life cycle of cell therapies.

Girona, Spain

8th—11th September 2014

Confirmed Speakers:

Dr Robert Preti

Progenitor Cell Therapy, USA

Prof Erik Shapiro

Michigan State University, USA

Prof Katja Schenke-Layland

Fraunhofer Institute, Germany

Dr Paolo De Coppi

Great Ormond Street Hospital, UK

Dr Alan Horner

Smith and Nephew, UK

Dr Jamie Cleaver

Key Skills Training for Scientists, UK

Dr Kei Mayamoto

Cambridge University, UK

Cost: £350

Including:

▪ Conference fee

▪ Delegate bag

▪ 3 nights accommodation

▪ All meals

www.firmsymposium.com

Major funding boost EPSRC commit additional funding for Centre for Doctoral Training

In 2008 the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) realised the need to support capacity in the rapidly growing sector of regenerative medicine and so funded the Loughborough-Nottingham-Keele Centre for Doctoral Training (DTC) in 2010. Now, jointly funded by the EPSRC and Medical Research Council (MRC), the programme has been rebranded the Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT).
The CDT’s aim is to provide training to new professionals in the core scientific and translational skills needed to drive the regenerative medicine industry and with an intake of approximately 10 PhD studentships per year, it attracts a diverse cohort of chemical engineers, computer network engineers, physicists and chemists. It is this interdisciplinarity that underpins the centres vision to tackle the field of regenerative medicine, from different perspectives.

Regenerative medicine is a relatively new field, covering a wide range of therapies and technologies designed to re-establish function in damaged or diseased tissues, such as bone, nerves and skin. With our aging population the delivery of next generation healthcare is a government priority; addressing debilitating conditions such as heart and neurological diseases and arthritis.

The CDT has received a total government investment of over £500m and a further £450m from University and industry collaborations, which includes a recent £3.5million joint award by the EPSRC and the Medical Research Council (MRC). This funding has established a successful research community in the Midlands area and as such received significant interest across the private and public sector.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne MP, said, “Our £500 million investment in Centres for Doctoral training will inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, ensuring Britain leads the world in high-tech research and manufacturing.”

Keele University’s Institute for Science and Technology in Medicine (ISTM) is part of this research community and provides the clinical and translational arm to the CDT programmes; increasing focus on the clinical need and application of new technologies, positively impacting on the way regenerative therapies are delivered.

To date, the CDT has delivered six PhD cohorts trained in the core scientific and translational skills needed to deliver world-class research and serves as a flagship of research activity for the ISTM and Keele University.