Khondrion and Seahorse Bioscience in Consortium Awarded Multi-Million Euro Marie Curie Grant for Mitochondrial European Educational Training (MEET) Program

NIJMEGEN, Netherlands, May 31, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A multi-million euro Marie Curie grant has been awarded to an international consortium including 8 world-leading basic science and clinical centres of excellence, industry leaders Khondrion and Seahorse Bioscience, and a non-profit foundation.

The objective of the program titled Mitochondrial European Educational Training (MEET) is to implement training-through-research programs dedicated to unravelling the pathophysiology of mitochondria in diverse disease conditions. MEET will provide young scientists with a full portfolio of complementary skills via programs delivered through a network of basic, translational and industrial laboratories, devoted to a multidisciplinary/multisectorial approach to education.

During the 3 year grant period, both Khondrion and Seahorse Bioscience will contribute unique expertise to ensure the success of the shared objectives. Khondrion will optimize their techniques for high-content drug screening, and implement the developed platform in mitochondrial medicine treatment development.

"Khondrion is proud to be involved in this international Marie Curie mitochondrial medicine training network. We look forward to continuing our on-going collaborations with world-leading mitochondrial expert centres. It is further recognition of the excellent second stage small molecule and drug screening capabilities, and mitochondrial medicine expertise of our growing company", states Jan Smeitink, Founder and CEO of Khondrion BV.

Seahorse Bioscience will provide in-depth training on their XF Analyzers, for the analysis of metabolic disorders in samples from patients with mitochondrial disease, and to examine the metabolic pathways used by tumours. Both Khondrion and Seahorse Bioscience will provide PhD courses for all involved PhDs in mitochondrial business related matters.

"Seahorse is excited to participate in this consortium, which will strengthen existing, and enable new collaborations. We look forward to working with and providing training to young scientists on our state-of-the-art XF Analyzers -- instruments that enable real-time measurements of mitochondrial function", states Per Bo Jensen, PhD, senior scientist at Seahorse. "The MEET project will also provide a unique opportunity to learn about new trends in the field of mitochondrial medicine, and help to advance the understanding, and potential treatments of mitochondrial disorders."

About Khondrion

Khondrion is a steadily growing bio-tech mitochondrial medicine company focusing on developing a cure for diseases affecting mitochondrial functioning. The potential of several lead compounds to serve as new treatment modalities for mitochondrial disease are currently explored.  Khondrion is exploiting its high content multi-parameter read-out technology platform and methods to support other company's drug and nutraceutical discovery, validation, screening and toxicology studies through to delivery of pre-clinical drug candidates. Khondrion has established collaborations with university research groups as well as small, medium and large enterprises. Khondrion offers consulting services for mitochondrial related questions and assay development on request. More information on Khondrion can be found on the company website (www.khondrion.com).

About Seahorse Bioscience

Seahorse Bioscience provides instrumentation and kits for cellular bioenergetic analysis for biological research and drug discovery applications. Over 2,500 scientists worldwide are advancing their research in understanding the role of cellular bioenergetics in Neurodegeneration, Aging, Cancer, Cardiovascular, Cell Physiology, Toxicology and Hepatobiology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Mitochondrial Diseases, Model Organisms, Obesity, Diabetes, Metabolic Disorders, Screening, and Translational Medicine. Seahorse Bioscience is headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, US, and has regional offices and laboratories in Copenhagen, Denmark; and Shanghai, China (www.seahorsebio.com).

SOURCE Seahorse Bioscience, Inc.