NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre

Enabling translational research through partnership

MENUMENU
  • About
    • About the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre
    • A Guide to What We Do
    • Activities during COVID-19
    • Strategic Partnership Board
    • Steering Committee
    • Promoting Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Research
    • Current Vacancies
    • Contact Us
    • Stay in Touch
  • Research
        • OUR 20 RESEARCH THEMES

        • Antimicrobial Resistance and Modernising Microbiology
        • Cardiovascular
        • Clinical Informatics and Big Data
        • Diabetes and Metabolism
        • Gastroenterology and Mucosal Immunity
        • Genomic Medicine
        • Haematology and Stem Cells
        • Imaging
        • Molecular Diagnostics
        • Multi-Modal Cancer Therapies
        • Multi-Morbidity and Long-Term Conditions
        • Musculoskeletal
        • Neurological Conditions
        • Obesity, Diet and Lifestyle
        • Partnerships for Health, Wealth and Innovation
        • Respiratory
        • Stroke and Vascular Dementia
        • Surgical Innovation and Evaluation
        • Technology and Digital Health
        • Vaccines for Emerging and Endemic Diseases
        • Oxford Biomedical Research Centre activities during COVID-19
  • Patient & Public Involvement
    • Getting involved with research
    • Researcher Guidance
    • Post an opportunity for patient and public involvement
  • Training Hub
    • Training Hub Overview
    • Clinical Academic Pathway
    • Internships
    • Preparatory Research Fellowships
    • Senior Research Fellowships
    • Research Training Bursaries
    • Doctoral Awards
    • Post-Doctoral Awards
    • Other funding
    • Leadership Training
    • Useful Links
    • Training and Education Resources
    • Upcoming Training Events & Courses
  • Industry
    • Collaborate with Oxford BRC
    • What Can We Do For Your Organisation?
    • Who Do We Work With?
    • IP and Licensing
    • Contacts for Industry
  • Videos
  • News
  • Events

News

You are here: Home > Haematology and Stem Cells > Spin-out company Alethiomics launched

Spin-out company Alethiomics launched

17 December 2021 · Listed under Haematology and Stem Cells, Oxford Blood Group

A new Oxford-based drug-discovery company has been launched with the aim of developing targeted therapies for a specific family of blood cancers.

Professors Adam Mead and Beth Psaila, co-founders of Alethiomics

Alethiomics was founded by Oxford BRC-supported researchers Professor Adam Mead  and Professor Beth Psaila, with support from Oxford University Innovation.

Alethiomics aims to apply innovations in single-cell multi-omic analysis to the development of novel therapeutics for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs).

MPNs are a group of chronic blood cancers that begin with mutations occurring in cancer stem cells in the bone marrow. While current treatments can relieve symptoms, they do not tackle the underlying drivers of the disease, meaning patients have poor prognosis.

Identifying new drug targets within these mutant cells is critical to developing targeted and effective therapies.

Professors Mead and Psaila have pioneered the use of single-cell multi-omics approaches to better understand the biology of MPNs and to discover novel molecular targets as the basis for drug discovery.

They have also developed bespoke platforms for target validation to speed up successful translation to the clinic.

“The Alethiomics TARGET-seq platform simultaneously detects DNA mutations, the RNA transcriptome and cell surface proteins from individual cells to provide a holistic understanding of pathologies and more intelligent target identification,” says Professor Mead, the Oxford BRC’s Co-theme Lead for Haematology and Stem Cells, and leader of the Haematopoietic Stem Cell Biology Group at the MRC Molecular Haematology Unit in the Radcliffe Department of Medicine.

The spin-out has received £6m of seed financing from Oxford Science Enterprises. “We have been tremendously impressed by the unparalleled expertise in haematological cancer of Prof Mead and Prof Psaila, and their passion to bring new therapies to the clinic to help benefit patients,” says Dr Claire Brown, Life Sciences Partner at Oxford Science Enterprises. “We look forward to building on their foundational discoveries and to developing clinical programmes therapies that deliver on the early promise of the technology.’

“We are really excited to have founded Alethiomics,” says Prof Psaila, leader of the Normal and Malignant Megakaryocyte and Platelet Biology Group at the MRC Molecular Haematology Unit. “Alethiomics will enable us to translate our breakthrough discoveries in novel target identification into precision medicines to improve the lifespan and quality of life for the patients we care for in the clinic.”

Watch a video explaining the work of Profs Mead and Psaila:

← New atlas reveals pre-birth development of blood cells in bone marrow
Three new Blood and Transplant Research Units created in Oxford →

News

  • Lymph nodes reveal more about mechanisms of autoimmunity 14 June 2022
  • Conference aims to forge collaborations to tackle dementia 9 June 2022
  • Lung function device wins top chemistry Prize 8 June 2022
See full news archive

News Categories

Month Archives

Subscribe to the Oxford BRC Newsletter

Keep informed about the work of the Oxford BRC by subscribing to our Mailchimp e-newsletter. It is produced several times a year and delivers news and information about upcoming events straight to your inbox.

Subscribe Now

Oxford BRC on Social Media

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Feedback

We’d love to hear your feedback. Please contact us at obrcenquiries@ouh.nhs.uk

  • Sitemap
  • Data Control and Privacy
  • Accessibility
  • Our Partners
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact

Copyright © 2022 NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre