APAF to launch biomarker laboratory

The Australian Proteome Analysis Facility (APAF) is gearing up to launch its new Biomarker Discovery Laboratory and is already on the verge of signing a pharmaceutical company partner for a project.

The laboratory, which is based at the Macquarie University node, will open on May 4.

Conceived about two years ago in a discussion between APAF CEO, Prof Mark Baker, and Macquarie University Vice Chancellor, Di Yerbury, the new lab is set up to discover and validate biomarkers. According to Baker, Yerbury is a big fan of proteomics and put AUD$1.3 million into building the lab, which was designed by Brian Griffin Architects.

"There's thousands of things that biomarkers might be useful for," said Baker. "And one of these is the early diagnosis of a disease."

Biomarkers are also present in urine and blood and can indicate the presence of disease, how an individual metabolises a drug, or how an individual would respond to specific medicines.

Dr Mark Molloy returned to APAF to become director of biomedical proteomics in July year, after working in the US with Pfizer. Molloy originally did his PhD at APAF and will work in the new lab and co-run a cancer research group with Baker.

Another role the new lab will play is in refining or advancing techniques to remove highly abundant proteins from samples. When highly abundant proteins are removed from a sample -- for example a plasma sample -- this then makes it possible to detect proteins that are present in much lower amounts. It is these low abundant proteins that often turn out to be biomarkers of interest.

"Our aim is to produce a quantum leap in biomarker discovery for disease," said Baker. "APAF is in discussions with the top five pharmaceutical companies and things are looking very favourable. One company has shown particular interest, we are at the stage where there is a contract to sign."

APAF's new lab is also supported by the commonwealth, NSW and SA governments.