DUNDEE, Scotland, Oct. 12, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- ITI Life Sciences, the organisation set up by Scottish Enterprise as an "innovation fund" to leverage Scotland's excellence in early stage life sciences research, today issues a Call for Expressions of Interest from organisations or individuals with expertise in the field of Molecular Medical Imaging. Based on an in-depth market analysis ("foresighting") report published earlier this year, ITI Life Sciences (ITI LS) has identified this area as one with significant potential and is seeking to explore opportunities for funding an innovative R&D programme.
While medical imaging is already firmly established as an integral part of modern healthcare, molecular imaging offers an exciting and altogether more powerful perspective -- the ability to go beyond visualising anatomy and physiology to study metabolic and physiological processes, often in real time. As such it promises to have a huge impact both on the practice of medicine and the development of new therapeutics and diagnostics over the coming decade.
Eleanor Mitchell, Acting CEO of ITI Life Sciences says: "ITI Life Sciences believes there are numerous opportunities within the molecular imaging field and a compelling case for funding innovation within this field. We would therefore like to engage with appropriate individuals and/or organisations to identify exciting R&D opportunities that may form the basis of an ITI LS funded programme."
Over the past two years ITI LS has committed over GBP42 million ($82 million) from its "innovation fund" to R&D programmes ranging from biomarkers and point-of-care diagnostics to text mining.
The ITI team has a good track record of working with entrepreneurial companies and is skilled at making the links between apparently disparate technologies and ideas to create real innovation. Those opportunities that score highly in our initial appraisal are crafted into exciting collaborative programmes, typically involving two or three parties. ITI LS provides funding to cover the development costs of delivering the programme, while our experienced programme managers provide coordination of all parties. ITI LS is also able to draw on the outstanding expertise and global networks of our Advisory Board, composed of influential individuals drawn from international business and academia.
Responses are invited from companies, agencies, institutes, academia and individuals. No geographical restrictions apply and ITI welcomes responses to this call from non-UK organisations. ITI is committed to helping our partners achieve success and ensuring the successful onward commercialisation of programme outputs.
For further details please go to www.itilifesciences.com/call, or contact ITI Life Sciences at the number below.
Notes to Editors
About ITI Life Sciences
ITI Life Sciences is a unique and entrepreneurial organisation contributing to Scotland's economical growth in life sciences; it aims to leverage Scotland's research excellence to develop new technologies targeting future market needs.
Publicly funded, but commercially driven, ITI Life Sciences funds and manages early stage technology research and development programmes in the life sciences arena. It selects programmes based on assessing future market needs, identifying technology opportunities, and responding to ideas, initiatives and proposals from the research and business communities. ITI Life Sciences works in collaboration with partners from industry, academia and the financial community.
ITI Life Sciences is one of three Intermediary Technology Institutes (ITIs) focused on important areas where Scotland has strong economic and business potential; the other areas are Techmedia and Energy.
ITI Life Sciences commenced full operations in April 2004. It plays a key part of Smart Successful Scotland, the Scottish Executive's strategy for economic growth. ITI Life Sciences is based in Dundee, Scotland.
For more information, see www.itilifesciences.com