Latest news with #Nanopore
The Hindu
6 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
TNAU reaches out to innovators under PPP mode to optimise utility of its state-of-the-art Centre for Excellence in Biotechnology
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University has, in the recent months, been reaching out to innovators of unique products through its Centre of Excellence in Biotechnology (COXBIT) for optimising utility of research and product development through public-private partnership mode. The 1.06 facility encompasses knowledge and cabin space which can be occupied by start-ups, student entrepreneurs and established companies for research and development activities. The Centre featuring high-end infrastructure envisages development of super active enzymes / biomolecules, biobased products, hormones for fruit ripening, plant growth stimulants and similar bio-inputs for the commercial benefit of farmers. The common facilities also encompass a conference hall, cafeteria, internet, wi-fi, and instrumentation facilities, said N. Senthil, Director, Centre for Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology that runs the facility. On Wednesday, the COXBIT entered into a pact with a Coimbatore-based innovator Nivedita Arjunan, to facilitate research and development of natural ingredient-based perfumes to develop eco-friendly fragrances using botanicals, promoting innovation and value addition in the fragrance sector. Earlier this month, the COXBIT tied up with Sherpa Biotech, a leader in imported button mushroom spawn and modern cultivation, to expand its research by focusing on IoT-based monitoring, stimulants, and smart watering technologies. This new initiative, according to Vendan, Registrar and acting Vice-Chancellor, is expected to increase mushroom production and shelf life, while also promoting agricultural development through the application of modern biotechnologies. Late last month, the COXBIT inked an agreement with Adamsindia AI Company, a leading company in agricultural technology development, for nurturing agricultural sector based on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technology. Earlier during July, an MoU was signed with M/s. Yaazh Xenomics, Coimbatore, specialising in genomic research and DNA sequencing using Illumina, Nanopore, and Ion Torrent platforms. With over 100 research publications, the company also manufactures RT-PCR and biotech kits, supporting researchers, clinicians and students. Tamil Nadu Legislative Estimate Committee under the chairmanship of S. Gandhirajan, MLA, while on a visit to TNAU last month, appreciated activities undertaken by the Centre such as digitization of insects, DNA barcoding, and guided audio tour. The insect museum with more than 50,000 preserved insects on various groups is visited with interest by school / college students and farming community. The Assembly team witnessed demonstrations on low cost coconut dehusking machine, drone spraying of nutrients and pesticides, telescopic coconut harvesting machine, and plantrox app for pest and disease diagnosis.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oxford Nanopore inks infectious disease analysis pact with Cepheid
Oxford Nanopore Technologies has teamed up with Cepheid to speed up infectious disease genomic analysis, blocking out recent noise of acquisition vulnerability. The UK biotech, a former star of the London initial public offering (IPO) scene, said the strategic collaboration will help return genomic results of bacterial and fungal pathogens within hours, compared to days experienced with currently available technology. Shares in London-listed Nanopore opened 6% higher at market open on 10 April compared to market open on 9 April, the day the announcement was made. Nanopore and US-based Cepheid have already completed a proof-of-concept study that saw the two companies' technologies combined for infectious disease analysis. The new research uses only workflow now sees Cepheid's cartridge-based GeneXpert system used Oxford Nanopore's sequencing platform. Nanopore was spun out of Oxford University in 2005 with pioneering technology for sequencing nucleic acids on handheld devices. All the company's sequencing devices work by analysing long DNA or RNA fragments by monitoring an electrical current as the nucleic acids are passed through a protein nanopore. The collaboration with Cepheid – who sells the most widely installed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic instrument in the world – aims to create a scalable, automated, and end-to-end solution for simplified nanopore sequencing workflows. The analysis is intended for use within a range of settings, including labs lacking in expertise that would not have done in-house sequencing. Profiling bacterial and fungal pathogens from culture isolates will be the first port of call for the partnership, with analysis directly from positive blood cultures also in the pipeline. There is also a potential expansion into further infectious disease use cases, such as cancer and human genetics, and eventually regulatory approved clinical diagnostics. "This collaboration represents an important step forward in delivering new and improved workflow options to better understand infectious diseases," said Dr. Gordon Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore Technologies. "By partnering to integrate our richer data, rapid insights, and accessible and affordable sequencing technology with Cepheid's GeneXpert architecture, we are establishing a workflow foundation that is positioned for future expansion into scaled routine clinical use." The partnership with Cepheid comes nearly a month after Dr. Sanghera admitted to the Financial Times that the company had become a takeover target. Nanopore went public in 2021 on the back of surging sales for its sequencing devices in the Covid-19 pandemic. At the time, it was seen as a major coup for the London stock market, with companies generally preferring to tap the more lucrative exchanges on Wall Street. However, sales dried up for the company as demand for pandemic-related products waned. Despite shares having fallen 85% from a 2021 speak, Nanopore still boasts a market cap just north of £1bn. Other companies partnered with Nanopore include France-based bioMérieux, a biotech that increased its stake in the UK company via a $85m investment in late 2023. Like Cepheid, bioMérieux is working with Nanopore in infectious disease analysis – specifically developing a test for determining the antibiotic resistance of tuberculosis. "Oxford Nanopore inks infectious disease analysis pact with Cepheid" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
