Lucigen awarded grant for additional research

Lucigen awarded grant for additional research

The National Institutes of Health has awarded Lucigen $750,000 to be used over two years to develop enzymes and methods for nucleic acid sequencing. This work may lead to faster and less expensive methods of sequencing DNA, which is important in the emerging field of personalized medicine. Determining a patient’s genetic makeup quickly and inexpensively will help health care professionals better determine the correct drugs with which to treat the patient, resulting in better outcomes. Furthermore, knowing one’s genetic predisposition for disease may help an individual take corrective action before a disease develops.
“We are pleased to receive this additional funding to support our research. This grant will provide Lucigen with the support we need to advance our work to support the rapidly developing field of personalized medicine” according to David Mead, Ph.D., Principle Investigator on the grant, and founder and CEO.
Lucigen, located in Middleton, Wisconsin, develops life science research products and technologies for gene cloning, genomics, and protein expression. Patented CloneSmart® technology and BigEasy® Cloning Kits dramatically improve DNA cloning reliability and efficiency, allowing successful cloning of genes that have been impossible to clone using standard methods. Lucigen’s exclusive Random Shear BAC Library Cloning Service is being used by genome researchers worldwide to streamline DNA sequencing processes, saving time and research dollars.
Lucigen’s enzyme discovery program has discovered new heat-stable enzymes from viruses that inhabit boiling-hot springs. These have been commercialized as PyroPhage® DNA polymerases, which provide improved capabilities in genomics research, diagnostic, and drug discovery. The discovery of thermostable carbohydrate-degrading enzymes that can be used by the biofuel industry to increase the efficiency of ethanol production, led to the spinoff from Lucigen of C5-6 Technologies, Inc., in 2006.