The following is release from the University of Washington Bothell:
A University of Washington Bothell chemistry professor and two of her students co-authored a new study reporting a potential breakthrough in preventing dementia disorders such as mad cow disease and Alzheimer’s.
The paper, published in the journal PLOS Pathogens, finds that hypochlorous acid or HOCl produced by Briotech can destroy prions, the abnormally folded proteins behind many neurological diseases.
The finding is significant because prions can’t be readily destroyed by heat, radiation or most chemical decontamination methods. Research also shows that prion diseases may be spread by medical probes and devices. Thus, being able to disinfect instruments by immersion in BrioHOCl would be a significant advancement in patient safety.
For the paper, Lori Robins, associate professor in the School of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics, and students Luis Contreras and Virkamal Dhaliwal showed that HOCl provided by the biotechnology company in Woodinville, Washington, was pure and stable. They performed chemical analysis at the Bothell campus and also used Raman spectroscopy instrumentation at the Molecular Engineering and Sciences Institute at the University of Washington in Seattle where they were aided by Micah Glaz.
The University of Bothell’s work “helped validate why we’re special,” said Dan Terry, Briotech founder and CEO.
Jeff Williams, chief scientific officer for Briotech, was a member of UW Bothell’s STEM advisory board and brought the Briotech work to the University.
The findings open up new avenues of research in the relationship of HOCl and preventing dementia as well as the studying the effect of BrioHOCl on pathogens that threaten global health and safety, Williams and Terry say.
Dhaliwal and Contreras, who both graduated in 2015, worked for Briotech before continuing their education in health research.
“To get a couple of young people – recent grads – to get to the point of having their names on a paper that will have international renown is pretty significant,” said Williams.
Williams has recruited more of Robins’ students to conduct research at another chemical technology company he started, OxiScience in Bellevue, Washington.
“We have taken advantage of bright young people and facilities on our doorstep,” Williams says.
UW Bothell is deeply engaged in partnerships, says Elaine Scott, dean of the UW Bothell School of STEM.
“Like many businesses in this biotech corridor, Briotech was able to take advantage of the research and analysis skills of our students, graduates and faculty. Our team pushed beyond the challenge and learned additional skills outside the classroom that were vital to the research. The results, validated by NIH, will pay in dividends for generations to come,” Scott said.
Laura Sangare, a UW affiliate assistant professor of epidemiology, was a co-author on the paper. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
