RD Research has been supporting biotech company Vesalic Limited by developing the data analysis platform behind its research into neurodegenerative diseases.

Vesalic’s new findings suggest these diseases may not originate solely in the brain, but instead throughout the body.

The company has also discovered a potential blood marker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which could help doctors diagnose the condition earlier and develop more targeted treatments.

The team at RD Research (Image: Richard Drury)

Researchers hope the findings could also help with other neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

RD Research, based in Little Melton on the outskirts of Norwich, designed and built the database and analytics platform behind Vesalic’s research.

The system enables faster, more accurate analysis, reporting and tracking of complex research data, helping to accelerate scientific discovery and bring potential new advancements closer to patients across the UK.

The database and software development was led by Max Durrant, technical manager at RD Research, who joined the company as an intern while studying at the University of East Anglia.

Mr Durrant graduated with a first-class honours degree in computer science before progressing to senior engineer and later technical manager.

Paul Williamson, managing director, said: “We are a small team, but our capabilities are world-class and we employ some of the brightest people in the industry. We are all very proud of what has been achieved.

“We are currently working with an orthopaedic hospital on the development of machine learning to greatly speed up the analysis of DEXA [Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry] bone scans, to cut waiting times from months to days.

“We really enjoy the challenge of these advanced projects, and the experience helps us better serve other UK businesses across a range of market sectors.”

© Norwich Evening News