Introduction
Biophoenix is a biomedical market and technology analysis consultancy based in the heart of England. In addition to its own resources, Biophoenix has contacts at both of our local universities, namely Coventry University, our former base, and Warwick University. At present, the core staffing of Biophoenix consists of Dr Sreten Bogdanovic and Dr Beata Langlands; all the publications mentioned on this website and produced in 1994 or later represent their joint efforts.Full details of our current and previous projects are given separately.
Dr Sreten Bogdanovic
 |
Dr Sreten Bogdanovic is the Managing Director
of Biophoenix.
After gaining a BSc in Biochemistry at the University of Edinburgh, UK, Sreten trained as an endocrinologist at Imperial College, London, UK. His PhD dealt with the role of the pituitary gland in the pathogenesis of obesity and type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetes, using animal models such as the genetically obese ob/ob mouse. This role is mediated in part by a pituitary hormone subsequently called beta cell tropin (BCT) which had recently been discovered by his research group (see J Endocrinol (1979) 81, 271-279), working in conjunction with Beecham Pharmaceuticals Limited (now, after several mergers and acquisitions, GlaxoSmithKline plc). |
Sreten subsequently worked at the University of Sussex, UK, on the mode of action of pituitary growth hormone and the mechanisms of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. His business career includes three years as product manager for immunodiagnostics with the UK subsidiary of a German healthcare multinational, Boehringer Mannheim, now owned by Roche, and six years as an independent biomedical technology analyst with Cistron of Coventry, UK.
At Boehringer, Sreten's product range consisted of the Enzymun System (ES) coated-tube enzyme immunoassay kits and associated instrumentation. These products were launched in the UK under his direction, have been a considerable success in commercial terms, and were among the first automated nonisotopic immunoassays on the market. The Enzymun System range has now been superseded by the Elecsys range.
While an independent consultant, Sreten has specialised in immunodiagnostics, DNA-based tests, and the applications of biotechnology to human therapeutics. His publications include a number of market and technology studies in these areas for clients such as Drug and Market Development Inc (part of Informa PLC), Financial Times Healthcare, Frost & Sullivan, PJB Publications (now also part of Informa PLC), and Business Insights (formerly Reuters Business Insights). Subjects covered so far include recombinant pharmaceuticals, drug delivery, DNA diagnostics, immunodiagnostics, cancer diagnostics, immune system diagnostics, angiogenesis-based therapeutics, oligonucleotide-based therapeutics, gene therapy, stem cells, pharmacogenomics, and reports on drug targets such as kinases and transporters.
Sreten is a member of the UK Society for Endocrinology (by publication) and the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC).
Dr Beata Langlands
 |
Dr Beata Langlands is the Research Director
of Biophoenix.
Beata received her PhD in clinical biochemistry from the University of Glasgow, where she was studying protein secretion as an indicator of foetoplacental function. She is a co-discoverer of pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A), a placental protein with increasingly important in vitro diagnostic applications (see Biochemical Journal (1980) 191, 799-809 and Placenta (1982) 3, 71-80). In October 2000, two definitive UK studies (1, 2) were published which established that inclusion of PAPP-A in routine antenatal screening tests carried out during the first trimester of pregnancy enables detection of fetal chromosomal abnormalities and prediction of pregnancy complications. |
While Biophoenix was based at Coventry University, Beata also held a post as part-time lecturer in the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. Before coming to the University, Beata worked as a clinical immunologist at the East Birmingham Hospital, Birmingham, UK (now called Birmingham Heartlands Hospital) and as a project leader in particle immunoassay development with one of the first biotechnology companies to be associated with Warwick University, Orbec Limited (then based at Warwick Science Park, Coventry, UK). At East Birmingham, her work focused on the role of serum complement in various diseases (notably diabetes; see for example British Medical Journal (1984) 289, 943-945). At Orbec, Beata was responsible for the development of test applications for the Company's proprietary automated urine screening analyser, the Ramus 256.
While an independent consultant, Beata has specialised in immunodiagnostics, DNA-based tests, and the applications of biotechnology to human therapeutics. Her publications include a number of market and technology studies in these areas for clients such as Drug and Market Development Inc (part of Informa PLC), Financial Times Healthcare, Frost & Sullivan, PJB Publications (now also part of Informa PLC), and Business Insights (formerly Reuters Business Insights). Subjects covered so far include drug delivery, DNA diagnostics, immunodiagnostics, cancer therapeutics, angiogenesis-based therapeutics, oligonucleotide-based therapeutics, gene therapy, stem cells, pharmacogenomics, and reports on drug targets such as kinases and transporters.