MOUNT PLEASANT ? MultiGEN Diagnostic, a Canadian biotech company that specializes in new DNA-based technologies, will join Central Michigan University?s Nanotechnology Cluster in January.
MultiGEN will be housed in CMU’s Health Professions Building. T.V. Moorthy, Bio-ID Diagnostic Inc. president and chief executive officer, said CMU’s research environment was a key factor in the decision.
“There is some exciting work being done in the field of dendrimer nanotechnology on the campus of Central Michigan University,” Moorthy said. “We’re confident we can leverage that technology in a way that will yield some very positive results.”
MultiGEN Diagnostic technology is used to analyze DNA sequences and identifies the microbe by matching it against a database of known pathogens. MultiGEN would like to use this technology in a mobile unit where testing is done on-site and resulted generated immediately. Brent Case, technology business development manager for the CMU Research Corp, said MultiGEN?s technology has both military and civilian applications.
“In case of a bio-terror attack, a quick response is vital,” Case said. “The problem is often in the identification of how and where that pathogen was delivered – whether it’s airborne or in our food or water. MultiGEN Diagnostic will work with federal health agencies, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, to develop tests designed to allow emergency and medical personnel to rapidly analyze a wide range of samples simultaneously to identify both the type and source of the pathogen.”
MultiGEN technology also holds significant potential in the pharmaceutical industry. The technology may be used to determine genetic variants among the human population, significantly improving drug discovery, design, evaluation and treatment, a process known as personalized medicine. This novel approach is known as rational drug development and may lead to greater success rates and reduce costs associated with bringing a drug to market.
