February 26, 2008

Xenobase software can be used to develop more effective treatments for pediatric patients

Grand Rapids, MI (February 26, 2008) –   Van Andel Institute (VAI) has entered into a multi-year licensing agreement with Children’s Memorial Research Center (CMRC) of Chicago for use of its XenoBase software and database system. 

XenoBase is a unique, advanced bio-informatic system created by scientists at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) to support all aspects of the life sciences from basic research discovery to clinical application.  The platform holds great promise for researchers and clinicians who use the system to explore the molecular and clinical basis of disease. In recent applications, physicians have used the tool to match the molecular profile of tumors of late-stage cancer patients to the most effective therapy, based on molecular evidence.

“The XenoBase technology holds great promise for the future as we evolve toward a more proactive standard of health care,” said VAI Chairman & CEO David Van Andel. “We are pleased to enter into this agreement with an internationally recognized research center under the fine leadership of Dr. Hendrix who is dedicated to producing innovative solutions to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases affecting children.”

CMRC is the research arm of Children’s Memorial Hospital (CMH), the pediatric teaching hospital for Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. It is one of only a handful of institutions in the United States dedicated exclusively to pediatric research. Like the researchers at VARI, the research team of CMRC will use XenoBase to explore the molecular and clinical basis for disease and to support the discovery of novel approaches to alleviate pain and suffering due to disease. 

“As a result of this agreement between CMRC and VARI, we anticipate novel collaborations using XenoBase to more quickly impact human disease,” said Mary J.C. Hendrix, Ph.D., Medical Research Institute Council Endowed Chair for the President and Scientific Director of CMRC.

XenoBase is the result of five years of research and development in the lab of Craig P. Webb, Ph.D., Director of VARI’s Program of Translational Medicine. The system can collect and analyze a wide range of molecular and conventional clinical data to aid researchers in identifying associations between diseases, biomarkers and treatment outcomes. “We are delighted to license this technology to CMRC and demonstrate its effectiveness in supporting different areas of pediatric translational research,” said Webb. “We look forward to collaborative efforts through which improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies can ultimately be introduced to the pediatric population.”

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The mission of Children’s Memorial Research Center is to generate new knowledge leading to advancements in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases that affect the development of children through adolescence as well as adult disorders that derive from them.  Our multidisciplinary teams of physicians, scientists, technicians, nurses and trainees are committed to making discoveries that will improve the lives of children and their families.

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Established by Jay and Betty Van Andel  in 1996, Van Andel Institute is an independent research organization dedicated to preserving, enhancing and expanding the frontiers of medical science, and to achieving excellence in education by probing fundamental issues of education and the learning process.