Posted On: May 11, 2009
Marine biotechnology company GlycoMar Ltd has been awarded a £70,000 grant from the Scottish Government’s SMART: SCOTLAND programme to develop new products for growing human stem cells. The process involves the Oban-based company using blood withdrawn from marine invertebrates, including worms and starfish. The products prepared from this blood will then be tested in stem cell culture systems supplied by Roslin Cells in Edinburgh. The SMART: SCOTLAND grant enables GlycoMar to take its technology into the stem cell market for the first time. GlycoMar exploits natural products in marine invertebrates to advance human health. Dr Bavington believes that marine invertebrates are a suitable source to find novel stem cell media supplements. “This is because of their remarkable capacity for continual growth and regeneration throughout their life course, often from their own stem cell reservoirs,” he said. “Starfish, for example can re-grow their limbs.” The use of non-mammalian marine material also means there is a very low risk of cross contamination with pathogens such as BSE. This research and the collaboration between GlycoMar and Roslin Cells highlights the excellence of the research work being undertaken by stem cell community in Scotland and typifies the efforts of the SSCN to bring the relevant experts together in this exciting and constantly developing field.
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