Primary Areas of Investigation
The life sciences business area is focused on the advancement of our understanding of biological
processes and systems and the translation of this knowledge from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside. The fields of microbiology and
immunology, with significant focus on cellular and molecular methodology, encompass the skill sets found within the youngest of MATRIC’s divisions.
The life sciences division encompasses three primary investigational areas: cancer, autoimmunity, and infectious disease.
Cancer
Each year there are over 550,000 cancer-related deaths in the United States, accounting for nearly one-quarter of all mortalities. MATRIC is pursuing opportunities to not only understand the mechanisms which cause cells to become cancerous, but also to understand why some cancer cells respond to therapy while others do not. MATRIC is working toward the development of new cancer therapeutics, specifically in the treatment of epithelial-derived cancers.
Autoimmunity
There are over 80 different types of autoimmune diseases affecting over 50 million Americans. MATRIC is working to understand diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, lupus and Sjogren’s Syndrome and to identify the underlying immune system interactions which lead to their development. Biomarker research and the development of disease-specific therapies are areas in which MATRIC also has significant interest.
Infectious Disease
Each year over 25 million visits are made to local doctors to treat infectious diseases with over 3 million additional visits being made to local emergency rooms for bacterial, viral and parasitic infections. MATRIC is working to understand the interaction of infectious diseases with the immune system and how certain microbes become resistant to conventional therapies. The development of new antimicrobial therapies and diagnostics is a key focus of MATRIC.