The UWC Biolabels Group, headed by Professor Mervin Meyer, is a Node of the DST/MinTek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre.
It involves the Apoptosis, Proteomics and Genomics Groups, with the MRC Diabetes and Obesity Research Group, in the Department of Biotechnology, with nanomaterials specialists in the Department of Chemistry.
The Biolabels Group is working on the identification of molecular biomarkers for diseases such as cancer, diabetes and HIV. These can be used in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies which exploit nanomaterials and bioactive compounds.
Projects include the targeting of proapoptotic compounds to HIV infected cells to induce cell death; the identification of biomarkers secreted from diseased cells in cancer and diabetes for the development of lateral flow devices for rapid diagnosis; and the use of near infra-red quantum dot materials for in vivo labelling and tracking of diseased tissues to allow the direct study of the therapeutic effect of drugs.