by Rebecca Engmann*

Lund-based Ludesi is a fast-emerging frontrunner in the field of proteomics imaging. The software developer is taking proteomic imaging one step ahead with its pioneering High-Quality Imaging Platform. Proteomics is the study of the proteome, or proteins present in a given cell. Everything that happens in the body is caused by the interaction of proteins, and for that reason, studying the protein content at a certain time point provides a reliable picture of what’s going on in the larger human organism.

"There are 30,000 different genes in the human body - but there’s an almost unlimited number of different proteins, so you can imagine how they interact, and what it means in terms of the way diseases progress, and what proteomics could mean for the development of diagnostic tools and drugs," says Ludesi CEO Ola Forsstrom-Olsson, a former professional handball player and CEO of the Skåne-based medicotech company.

Problem-solving image informatics

High-Quality Imaging Platform is a means of analysing protein content in a single cell culture or tissue. The platform employs the most fundamental protein analysis technology, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, which separates proteins from a cell culture or tissue. The High-Quality Imaging Platform is designed for medical researchers who are already familiar with 2-D technology, but hope to avoid "bottleneck" problems typical of 2-D in analysing images and running statistics from tissue samples.

"This is basically the ’workhorse’ of proteomics - and our technology was developed specifically in association with problems analysing these images. Whereas 2-D gel analysis creates images over protein samples to illustrate content, the High-Quality Imaging Platform makes it easier to analyse images, speeding up the imaging process, and making image results easier to understand," Forsstrom-Olsson explains.

Ludesi’s software offers custom-made statistics and data management, a user-friendly interface, case turnaround within seconds, and results available online.

Cancer research trial

HiQ-iP’s real litmus test came from actual field use in the healthcare sector. Ludesi paired up with the Cancer Centre at Sweden’s acclaimed Karolinska Institute on three comparative studies. Karolinska researchers took samples previously analyzed by leading experts in the field of cancer proteomics. Results of the first test-phase were released in November, revealing that Ludesi’s technology worked ten times faster, and was able to extract 70% more information about protein activity in a given culture.

If the results in the second and third test phases are just as promising, Karolinska Institute will recommend the High-Quality Imaging Platform as the standard technology for proteomics cancer research in Sweden.

A valuable first step

Cancer research is just the tip of the iceberg for Ludesi, which says proteomics imaging technologies may be useful in the fields of stem cell research, toxicology, and locating biomarkers - an important field for the pharmaceutical industry.

"Our goal was to gain a solid basis in academic research. So (Karolinska Institute) was a good first step," says Forsstrom-Olsson.

The company’s location in the Øresund Region has also proved beneficial in terms of access to expertise. Ludesi’s strongest selling point is the strength of its mathematical imaging and data management software - both areas vital to health care research, but unusual for healthcare professionals to master.

"This region is very strong in terms of mathematical imaging and computer vision. Many stock market registered companies use these skills in their core technology. Our location in Ideon Science Park has also been a blessing, thanks to the presence of strong medical research and computer imaging expertise," said Forsstrom-Olsson. By providing high-precision mathematical imaging technology, Ludesi aims to let medical researchers concentrate on what they’re best at: medical research.

This article was originally published by Øresund IT Magasine (nr. 4 - 2004). You can download the magazine in PDF format on Publications.

*Rebecca Engmann is an American journalist living in Copenhagen.