$$News and Reports$$

Sep. 26, 2017

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BGN Technologies, the technology company of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel announced today a collaboration with a Singapore-based company, Ram Group, to develop a new minimally-invasive diagnostic sensor for earlier detection and treatment of diseases.

 

The aim of the joint project is to develop a sensor that will detect specific antibodies that are known to be signs of emerging diseases, such as cancer in the blood at very low and previously undetectable concentrations.

 

The research project is being led by Prof. Gabby Sarusi of the BGU Unit of Electro-Optical Engineering and the Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology.

 

“We are adapting existing sensor technologies to be able to detect very small amounts of chemical and biological components in fluids and in gas, in concentrations that are much lower than PPB (parts-per-billion)," says Prof. Sarusi. “The results will render any potential treatment, including chemotherapy, much more effective than today, since it will be conducted on cancer at such an early stage that it has yet to manifest itself as a visible tumor."

 

“We welcome the strong collaboration with RAM Group," says Zafrir Levi, Vice President of Business Development at BGN.  "This technology is another example of the state-of-the-art applied science created here in BGU's labs."

 

“The sensor we are developing for RAM Group can be used in two different ways – 100 percent optical sensing or one that combines optical sensing with an electronic sensor," says Prof. Sarusi.

 

The sensor is comprised of a miniature light waveguide ring with a diameter of a few hundred micrometers fabricated on a semiconductor chip and coated with chemical or biological receptors.

 

When a tiny amount of liquid, such as blood, is placed on the ring, the receptors identify and attract the chemical component such as antibodies, which are then identified using optical wavelength analysis.  

 



About RAM Group

Founded in 2010, Ram Group has the mission of revolutionizing sensors and analytics technology across the Internet-of-Things and healthcare industry. Headquartered in Singapore, the firm has R&D facilities in Germany and Israel. The Company's research has been protected by a wide range of patents and its staff have been published in over 60 respected medical and scientific journals worldwide. In 2016, RAM Group won the "High Technology Innovation Competition" for 2016, awarded by the German Federal Ministry of Research for the validation of the Company's non-invasive continuous hemodynamic and vital-signs monitoring healthcare platform. This prestigious award is annually sought by some 100 of the top biotech companies in Germany.

 

About BGN Technologies

BGN Technologies is the business and technology company of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. Located in the heart of the University's Advanced Technologies Park, BGN Technologies is the driving force behind industry-academia collaborations, supporting the University's mission of cultivating a high-tech eco-system within the Negev region.
With a track-record of over 100 startup companies, as well as partnerships in technology incubators and accelerators, BGN Technologies brings inventions from the labs to the market by fostering research collaborations and entrepreneurship among researchers and students.

 

During the past decade, BGN Technologies focused on creating long-term partnerships with dozens of companies, including multinationals such as: Deutsche Telekom, Dell-EMC, Lockheed Martin, IBM and PayPal, securing value and growth to a diverse ecosystem that surrounds Ben-Gurion University.  For more information, visit the BGN Technologies website.