Sports Doping Researchers to Tackle Mount Everest

In the run-up to the Olympics scientists use live mice for the first
time on the "roof of the world" to develop new tests for gene
doping

Hilden, Germany / Everest Base  Camp, Nepal - May  26, 2008 - In  the
run-up to the  Summer Olympics, scientists  are taking an  innovative
approach to  develop new  molecular testing  methods for  performance
manipulation on the  genetic level.  A team of  researchers from  the
University  of  Pennsylvania  today  is  attempting  to  climb  Mount
Everest, taking with them for the  first time live mice to the  "roof
of the world". The effort is being supported by the World Anti-Doping
Agency (WADA)  and  the  molecular diagnostics  company  QIAGEN.  The
purpose of the researcher's historic  climb is to investigate  tissue
and blood samples from the mice  to create a molecular signature  for
altitude-induced  hypoxia.  The  scientists'  ultimate  goal  is  the
development of novel  testing methods  for gene  doping by  comparing
such natural molecular signatures with induced signatures that  would
be created by gene doping. Such practices have been listed on  WADA's
index of  banned substances  since 2003,  but the  identification  of
athletes using  gene  doping  is  still  not  possible.  Accordingly,
experts consider gene doping to be one of the most urgent problems in
sports today.

The scientific team  headed by Prof.  Dr. Tejvir S.  Khurana and  Dr.
Gabriel Willmann is specifically looking to find those genes that are
active in a low-oxygen  environment and thus  enable the organism  to
adapt to the  altered environmental conditions.  In general,  hypoxia
has a positive influence on  the body's performance as it  stimulates
the creation of erythropoietin  (EPO), a naturally occurring  hormone
that promotes  the  production  of  red  blood  cells.  When  applied
artificially, EPO can be easily discovered. However, if gene activity
is manipulated in a way that the body produces more "natural" EPO and
therefore more red blood cells without being exposed to a low  oxygen
environment, existing doping-detection methods prove ineffective - at
least so far. Now, the  University of Pennsylvania scientists  intend
to solve  this problem  by developing  markers for  a test  that  can
discriminate between  naturally induced  activations and  activations
induced through gene doping.

"We are very excited that the attack on the summit is now  beginning.
From a research  point of view,  a major challenge  of this  endeavor
will be the extraction of samples  from the mice under these  extreme
conditions," said Dr. Gabriel Willmann, one of the initiators of  the
research project.  "The  cooperation  with  QIAGEN,  as  the  world's
leading provider of sample  and molecular testing technologies,  will
help us enormously to successfully  collect, process and analyze  the
samples. Therefore, we are confident that first results will be ready
for presentation shortly after our return."

According to Peer  Schatz, Chief  Executive Officer  of QIAGEN,  this
expedition shows  how molecular  biology is  increasingly helping  to
find solutions for critical issues in many areas of our daily  lives:
"We are very pleased to partner with the team from the University  of
Pennsylvania in this exciting project, in which our sample and  assay
technologies will be used for  the development of testing methods  in
the harshest of conditions. We are  also proud to be contributing  to
the team's  so important  goal of  making anti-doping  controls  more
effective."

In addition to new testing  methods for the identification of  doping
offenders, the scientists  also hope  to generate new  data that  may
lead to a better  treatment of muscular  dystrophy. The incidence  of
this genetic disease is comparatively  low, yet it is also  incurable
and leads  to a  significant  loss of  expectation  of life.  As  the
disease also  affects respiratory  muscles, patients  in an  advanced
stadium experience a level  of hypoxia comparable  to the effects  of
exposure to extreme altitudes.

Background Gene Doping
Gene doping as  defined by the  WADA encompasses the  non-therapeutic
use of cells, genes, genetic elements,  or of the modulation of  gene
expression, having the capacity  to enhance athletic performance.  An
example for  such  doping approaches  is  a method  to  increase  the
organism's own  production  of  EPO  using  an  active  agent  called
HIF-stabilizers. Usually,  a  protein called  hypoxia-induced  factor
(HIF) ensures  the  sufficient  supply  of  oxygen  to  cells  as  it
stimulates the production of EPO in low oxygen environments. When the
oxygen concentration rises,  both the  production of HIF  and of  EPO
decreases. This process is driven  by an enzyme called HIF-PH,  which
reduces HIF. So called HIF-stabilizers can be used to stop the enzyme
from functioning, resulting  in a  slower reduction of  HIF and  thus
higher EPO levels. New products for the treatment of anemia currently
under   development    tackle    exactly   this    mechanism    using
HIF-stabilizers.

Note
Photos of the expedition, info graphics explaining the application of
molecular tests and pictures describing the principles of gene doping
can be ordered from: [e-mail].

Background QIAGEN
QIAGEN   N.V.,    a    Netherlands   holding    company,    is    the
leading global provider of  sample  and  assay  technologies.  Sample
technologies are used to  isolate and process  DNA, RNA and  proteins
from biological samples such  as blood or tissue. Assay  technologies
are used  to  make such  isolated  biomolecules visible.  QIAGEN  has
developed and markets more  than 500 consumable  products as well  as
automated solutions  for such  consumables. The company provides  its
products to molecular diagnostics laboratories, academic researchers,
pharmaceutical   and    biotechnology    companies,    and    applied
testing customers for  purposes such  as forensics,  animal  or  food
testing   and   pharmaceutical   process   control. QIAGEN's    assay
technologies  include  one  of  the  broadest  panels  of   molecular
diagnostic tests available  worldwide. This panel  includes the  only
FDA-approved test for human  papillomavirus (HPV), the primary  cause
of cervical cancer. QIAGEN employs more than 2,700 people in over  30
locations worldwide. Further information about QIAGEN can be found at
www.qiagen.com.


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