(Sharecast News) - Data science firm Physiomics has been chosen by the University of Sheffield to support a grant-funded project focused on an insect model of cancer treatment.

Physiomics said on Monday that the contract was valued at £45,000 and will begin in the second half of the year. The group added that the work was in support of one of seven cancer-focussed projects recently announced by the University, all of which will be funded by Yorkshire Cancer Research.

The AIM-listed group added that the work follows on from a pilot project with the University, funded by UK Research and Innovation's Higher Education Innovation Funding scheme, with the project focussed on the development of an insect model of cancer that could be used to screen new drugs prior to pre-clinical testing in more traditional models of cancer and has a particular focus on the prediction of metastasis.

Physiomics' role will be to create mathematical models based on experimental data and to explore the relationship between the effect of drugs in these models, established models, and humans. Physiomics will also provide advice and guidance on the possible commercialisation of the technology.

As of 1010 GMT, Physiomics shares were up 3.7% at 1.40p.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com