An Electrochemical Bio-barcode Device for Home Disease Monitoring and Diagnosis
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 28 Oct 2020 |
|
Image: A recently developed electrochemical bio‐barcode device paired with a smartphone enables cancer patients to read critical biomarker levels at home in samples of self-drawn blood (Photo courtesy of Georgia Kirkos, McMaster University)
A point-of-care (POC) electrochemical bio‐barcode device and assay system have been developed to enable analysis of protein biomarkers in undiluted and unprocessed human plasma samples.
There is a need for biosensing systems that can be operated at the POC for disease screening and diagnostics and health monitoring. In spite of this, simple to operate systems with the required analytical sensitivity and specificity for clinical samples remain a rarity.
To correct this situation investigators at McMaster University (Hamilton, Canada) and Brock University (St. Catharines, Canada) devised an electrochemical bio‐barcode assay (e‐biobarcode assay) that integrated biorecognition with signal transduction using molecular (DNA/protein) machines and signal readout using nanostructured electrodes.
The design of the e‐biobarcode assay eliminated multistep processing and used a single step for analysis following sample collection into the reagent tube. In use, a drop of blood is added to a vial of reactive solution, and a small amount of the mixture is placed onto a strip and inserted into a reader. In minutes, the device determines the concentration of an antigen.
In the current study, the investigators demonstrated the clinically relevant determination of prostate specific antigen (PSA) - the biomarker for prostate cancer - in undiluted and unprocessed human plasma.
"This is another step toward truly personalized medicine," said senior author Dr. Leyla Soleymani, associate professor of engineering physics at McMaster University. "We are getting away from centralized, lab-based equipment for this kind of testing. This would make monitoring much more accessible and cut down on the number of times patients need to leave home to provide blood samples."
"Once commercialized, this device will be a paradigm shift for cancer diagnosis and prognosis," said contributing author Dr. Feng Li, associate professor of chemistry at Brock University. "Since this device is a lot more accessible and user-friendly than conventional technologies, patients will be more willing to use it, which can improve clinical outcomes and save lives."
The e‐biobarcode assay was described in the October 7, 2020, online edition of the journal Angewandte Chemie.
Related Links:
McMaster University
Brock University
There is a need for biosensing systems that can be operated at the POC for disease screening and diagnostics and health monitoring. In spite of this, simple to operate systems with the required analytical sensitivity and specificity for clinical samples remain a rarity.
To correct this situation investigators at McMaster University (Hamilton, Canada) and Brock University (St. Catharines, Canada) devised an electrochemical bio‐barcode assay (e‐biobarcode assay) that integrated biorecognition with signal transduction using molecular (DNA/protein) machines and signal readout using nanostructured electrodes.
The design of the e‐biobarcode assay eliminated multistep processing and used a single step for analysis following sample collection into the reagent tube. In use, a drop of blood is added to a vial of reactive solution, and a small amount of the mixture is placed onto a strip and inserted into a reader. In minutes, the device determines the concentration of an antigen.
In the current study, the investigators demonstrated the clinically relevant determination of prostate specific antigen (PSA) - the biomarker for prostate cancer - in undiluted and unprocessed human plasma.
"This is another step toward truly personalized medicine," said senior author Dr. Leyla Soleymani, associate professor of engineering physics at McMaster University. "We are getting away from centralized, lab-based equipment for this kind of testing. This would make monitoring much more accessible and cut down on the number of times patients need to leave home to provide blood samples."
"Once commercialized, this device will be a paradigm shift for cancer diagnosis and prognosis," said contributing author Dr. Feng Li, associate professor of chemistry at Brock University. "Since this device is a lot more accessible and user-friendly than conventional technologies, patients will be more willing to use it, which can improve clinical outcomes and save lives."
The e‐biobarcode assay was described in the October 7, 2020, online edition of the journal Angewandte Chemie.
Related Links:
McMaster University
Brock University
Platinum Member
Automated Coagulation Analyzer
Hemolumi H6
New
Gold Member
Platelet Function Analyzer
PL-12
Urine Analyzer
respons® UDS100
Food Allergy Screening ELISA Kit
Allerquant 14G B ELISA
Latest Technology News
- Bacterial Vesicle Expression System Streamlines Production of Cancer Diagnostic Proteins
- Autonomous Robotic System Receives FDA Authorization for Blood Collection
- Interoperable Data Platform Standardizes Multi-Cancer Blood Test Results
- Training Device Improves Accuracy of Pooled Molecular Diagnostics
- New CE-Certified Software Advances Whole-Genome Cancer Testing
- National Rare Disease Registry Standardizes Genetic and Clinical Data for Coordinated Care
- AI Platform Links Biomarker Results to Cancer Clinical Trials and Guidelines
- Agentic AI Platform Supports Genomic Decision-Making in Oncology
- Algorithm Panel Aids Liver Fibrosis Assessment and Liver Cancer Surveillance
- Mailed Screening Kits Help Reduce Colorectal Cancer Screening Gaps
- AI-Enabled Assistant Unifies Molecular Workflow Planning and Support
- AI Tool Automates Validation of Laboratory Software Configuration Changes
- Point-of-Care Testing Enhances Health Literacy and Self-Management in Chronic Disease
- Fully Automated Sample-to-Insight Workflow Advances Latent TB Testing
- Tumor-on-a-Chip Platform Models Pancreatic Cancer Treatment Response
- New Platform Captures Extracellular Vesicles for Early Cancer Detection
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
New Blood Biomarker Predicts May Predict Preeclampsia and Fetal Growth Restriction
Preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction are major drivers of stillbirth and serious maternal morbidity, yet clinicians still lack reliable early predictors to guide targeted surveillance.... Read more
Biomarker Score Helps Differentiate Takotsubo Syndrome from Myocardial Infarction
Takotsubo syndrome, often called broken-heart syndrome, mimics myocardial infarction and can be difficult to triage in emergency settings. It accounts for about 2% of suspected heart attacks and up to... Read more
Hematology
view channel
New Genetic Findings Reveal Cause of Bone Marrow Failure Syndrome
Inherited bone marrow failure syndromes (IBMFS) impair the bone marrow’s ability to produce sufficient healthy blood cells and are associated with an increased risk of early-onset myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).... Read more
Ultra-Portable Device Enables Finger-Prick Blood Testing at Home
Patients who need frequent blood tests often face repeated clinic visits that burden services and disrupt care. In the UK, millions of tests are performed each year to diagnose disease, guide therapy,... Read more
Immunology
view channel
New Cellular Map May Help Predict Crohn’s Disease Course in Children
Crohn’s disease in children is a common and debilitating form of inflammatory bowel disease, marked by chronic intestinal inflammation and limited pediatric-specific treatments. Clinicians must decide... Read more
Temporal Immune Profiling Reveals How Sepsis States Change Over Time
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition in which the immune response to infection becomes dysregulated, leading to rapid organ failure and death. Although antimicrobials and organ support remain standard... Read more
Study Identifies Immune Cells That Drive Harmful Autoantibody Responses in COVID-19
Autoantibodies that mistakenly attack the body’s own tissues have been linked to severe COVID-19, Long COVID, and increased risk of autoimmune disease. However, the origins of these autoantibodies during... Read more
Microbiology
view channel
Gut Microbiome Classifier Improves Colorectal Cancer Risk Stratification
Colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality, and current noninvasive screening methods still miss many precancerous lesions. Clinicians therefore need tools that improve risk stratification... Read more
New Diagnostic Workflow Identifies Bloodstream Pathogens and Antibiotic Response in Hours
Sepsis is a life-threatening complication of infection that affects more than 1.5 million patients annually in the United States and contributes to roughly one in three in-hospital deaths.... Read more
Pathology
view channel
Label-Free Imaging Reveals Hidden Immune Activity in Blood Samples
Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are widely used to monitor infection, autoimmunity, cancer, and treatment response, yet most assays depend on fluorescent labels that can perturb cells and provide... Read more
AI Tool Improves Prediction of Immunotherapy Response in Lung Cancer
Immune checkpoint therapies benefit only a subset of patients, while standard biomarkers often struggle to predict who will respond. Spatially resolved tumor profiling can provide deeper biological context,... Read more
Technology
view channel
Bacterial Vesicle Expression System Streamlines Production of Cancer Diagnostic Proteins
Recombinant proteins are central to many cancer diagnostics and therapies, but numerous targets remain difficult and costly to produce because they are unstable, toxic to microbial hosts, or require precise folding.... Read more
Autonomous Robotic System Receives FDA Authorization for Blood Collection
Venipuncture is central to many diagnostic pathways, but routine blood collection can be affected by staffing constraints and procedural variability that influence consistency and patient experience.... Read more
Industry
view channel
New NHS Partnership Expands Access to Epigenetic CNS Tumor Classifiers
Rapid and accurate classification of central nervous system tumors remains a challenge, particularly in children where histology alone can misclassify aggressiveness and drive overtreatment.... Read more
