Lexington, Kentucky, July 8, 2008 - Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. based in Lexington, KY has announced that its Vice President of Research, Dr. Blair Madison has received the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for a project he designed on mobile element mutagenesis. The NIH’s primary objective of this award is to help ensure that diverse pools of highly trained scientists will be available in adequate numbers and in appropriate research areas to carry out the nation’s biomedical, behavioral and clinical research agendas. Awards are given for up to a three year research period.
“I am honored to receive this award from the NIH,” said Dr. Madison. “This award will provide an invaluable opportunity to investigate the molecular genetic causes of colon cancer.”
Dr. Madison’s research has enabled Transposagen to expand upon its breakthrough technology by designing a new method of mutagenesis using mobile DNA elements (or “jumping genes”) for the rapid identification of cancer genes. “This method will enable the rapid discovery of oncogenes and tumor suppressors that are directly linked to cancer initiation and progression,” said Dr. Madison. “This unique technology is being investigated in rats and will likely yield critical information about how genetic aberrations cause cancer in humans.”
About Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals
Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals is a privately held biotechnology company with operations in Lexington, KY and Philadelphia, PA. The company is dedicated to providing unique animal models of human diseases for drug discovery and development. The production of animal models is a $1.2 billion/year market and is expected to grow 12% annually through 2010. For more information, visit www.transposagenbio.com.
About the NIH:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation’s Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.
Contact:
George Ward
201 W. Second St.
Lexington, KY 40507
gward@transposagenbio.com
859-221-4122