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| PamGene scientist Henk van Damme receives the Dutch Biotechnology Association annual Research Prize | | | ‘s-HERTOGENBOSCH, THE NETHERLANDS - March 15th 2002
During yesterday’s National Biotechnology Congress, held in Wageningen (The Netherlands), PamGene received the prestigious research prize the “Zilveren Zandloper”. Willem de Vos, chairman of the Dutch Biotechnology Association, presented the prize to Dr.Ir. Henk van Damme, senior scientist at PamGene.
Henk van Damme was awarded the prize because of his development of a flow-through array platform technology (the PamChipTM Array) with many application opportunities for the post-genomic field. He invented the use of a porous substrate in Biochips that has several advantages compared to glass microarrays that are in use so far to test samples. Advantages of the porous material include: sensitivity, robustness, cost effectiveness and speed.
The jury chose PamGene as the winner because of its innovative character of the scientific research in the field of microarrays. Another criterium was the fact that the technology is being commercialised into promising industrial applications.
The commercialisation of the first PamChipTM Arrays will start next quarter by PamGene and its partner Olympus Optical Co. Ltd., the Japanese worldwide market leader microscopy and endoscopy.
About Van Damme
Van Damme (41, Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering) started his research at Organon Teknika in 1997. His work has resulted in several grants and (European; a US and a Japanese) patents: “a device for performing an assay, a method for manufacturing said device, and use of a membrane in the manufacture of said device”. Permission was granted by Organon Teknika to use this patent as the basis for a new company, PamGene. At the beginning of 2001 Van Damme, CEO Tim Kievits and others co-founded PamGene. PamGene now employs 35 employees.
About PamGene
PamGene is a post-genomics biotech company, which has patented technologies for a second-generation microarray platform and an expression profiling system. The technology will be commercialized in academic research, pharma and biotech R&D, health management and non-pharma life sciences such as agricultural applications and food.
For more information or a digital picture
Tim Kievits, Chief Executive Officer, PamGene B.V.
Telephone: +31 (0)73 615 8080
E-mail:
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