Life Technologies' Grand Challenges Contest Aims to Make Cancer
Sequencing Routine
MARCO ISLAND, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Life
Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) today announced that the Life
Grand Challenges Contest, initially introduced in December
2010, is expanding to include a fourth challenge. This latest
contest challenges scientists to sequence the genome and all RNA content
derived from a single cancer cell using the 5500
Series SOLiD™ Sequencers. The challenge builds upon research, which
will be presented at the annual 2011
Advances in Genome Biology & Technology (AGBT) Meeting,
demonstrating the sequencing of the transcriptome of a single mouse cell
on a SOLiD system.
Life Technologies initiated its latest, $1 million Life Grand Challenge
to unlock science's ability to understand the cell-to-cell genetic
differences within a tumor. Although scientists have successfully
sequenced the entire transcriptome of a single murine cell using the
SOLiD System, as documented in the May
7, 2010 issue of Cell Stem Cell, they have yet to
sequence the entire genome of one cell. Successful achievement of this
latest Grand Challenge will, therefore, double what is currently
possible by sequencing both the entire genome and all RNA, including
mRNA, microRNAs and other types of RNA molecules expressed in a single
cancer cell, using the SOLiD System. Results must be validated using
alternative techniques, such as capillary electrophoresis sequencing or
quantitative PCR.
Cancer accounts for nearly one out of every four deaths in the U.S., as
reported by the American
Cancer Society. Variation in DNA and RNA sequence between tumor
cells can dramatically affect how individual cells respond to therapies.
For example, if a given treatment eliminates 90 percent of malignant
cells in a tumor, but cannot eliminate the remaining cells due to
differences in both the underlying genomes and expressed RNA that
mitigate the cells' response to treatment, the cancer will likely recur
and possibly metastasize. The ability to precisely analyze cell-to-cell
genetic differences will help biomedical researchers understand the
development of cancer and may one day enable physicians to better
prescribe therapies that eliminate malignant cells entirely.
"Life Technologies is focused on providing a continuous stream of
innovative applications to enhance the utility of our technologies,"
said Mark Stevenson, President and COO of Life Technologies. "With the
further improvements made on our 5500 Series SOLiD Sequencers in terms
of accuracy, flexibility, speed and throughput, we are confident this
platform can be used to interrogate single cancer cells."
The judges for the fourth Grand Challenge include Dr's Tim
Hunkapiller, Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of
Discovery Biosciences Corporation, Kai Lao, Principal Scientist of
Molecular Biology for Life Technologies, Joe Beechem, Head of Advanced
Research of Single Molecule Sequencing for the Genetic Systems Division
at Life Technologies and Mahendra Rao, Vice President of Research and
Development in Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine for Life
Technologies.
Additional information about the fourth Grand Challenge, including terms
and conditions, will be released by the end of the first quarter of 2011.
About the Life Grand Challenges Contest
The Life Grand Challenges Contest is a first-of-its-kind crowd sourcing
initiative focused on the life sciences tools and technology industry.
The goal of the $7 million competition is to unlock even bigger
opportunities the company is witnessing, while accelerating innovation
within the life sciences community.
There will be seven individual challenges, each with a $1 million prize.
The first three challenges are focused on Ion semiconductor sequencing.
The fourth challenge is focused on SOLiD sequencing. The remaining three
challenges will be related to Life Technologies products and will be
announced later in 2011.
The three Ion challenges are to 1) produce twice as much sequence data,
2) do it twice as fast, and 3) do it with twice the accuracy. The SOLiD
challenge is to sequence both the genome and the RNA content of a single
cancer cell, effectively doubling the biological readout that is
currently achievable by sequencing a single cell.
To receive the most up-to-date information on the various challenges,
please register at www.lifetechnologies.com/grandchallenges,
and please join the conversation on Twitter: @Grand_Challenge.
About Life Technologies Next-Generation Sequencing
Life Technologies is the world's leading provider of sequencing
technologies, offering the industry's gold standard capillary
electrophoresis technology with the 3500
CE and 3500Dx Series Genetic Analyzers, next-generation sequencing
technology with the SOLiD System, and the Ion Torrent semiconductor
based sequencing technology with the recently launched Ion
Torrent PGM.
The 5500 Series SOLiD and Ion Torrent Sequencers are for research use
only, and are not intended for animal or human therapeutic or diagnostic
use.
About Life Technologies (www.lifetechnologies.com)
Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) is a global biotechnology
tools company dedicated to improving the human condition. Our systems,
consumables and services enable researchers to accelerate scientific
exploration, driving to discoveries and developments that make life even
better. Life Technologies customers do their work across the biological
spectrum, working to advance personalized medicine, regenerative
science, molecular diagnostics, agricultural and environmental research,
and 21st century forensics. Life Technologies had sales of $3.3 billion
in 2009, employs approximately 9,000 people, has a presence in
approximately 160 countries, and possesses a rapidly growing
intellectual property estate of approximately 3,900 patents and
exclusive licenses. Life Technologies was created by the combination of
Invitrogen Corporation and Applied Biosystems Inc., and manufactures
both in-vitro diagnostic products and research use only-labeled
products. For more information on how we are making a difference, please
visit our website: http://www.lifetechnologies.com.
Life Technologies' Safe Harbor Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements about Life
Technologies' anticipated results that involve risks and uncertainties.
Some of the information contained in this press release, including, but
not limited to, statements as to industry trends and Life Technologies'
plans, objectives, expectations and strategy for its business, contains
forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties
that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any
statements that are not statements of historical fact are
forward-looking statements. When used, the words "believe," "plan,"
"intend," "anticipate," "target," "estimate," "expect" and the like,
and/or future tense or conditional constructions ("will," "may,"
"could," "should," etc.), or similar expressions, identify certain of
these forward-looking statements. Important factors which could cause
actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking
statements are detailed in filings made by Life Technologies with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Life Technologies undertakes no
obligation to update or revise any such forward-looking statements to
reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
Life Technologies
Patty Zamora
760-476-7818
patty.zamora@lifetech.com
Source: Life Technologies Corporation
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