We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

LabMedica

Download Mobile App
Recent News Expo Clinical Chem. Molecular Diagnostics Hematology Immunology Microbiology Pathology Technology Industry Focus

Possible Blood Biomarker Found for Traumatic Brain Injury

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 08 Mar 2015
Print article
Image: The single molecule array (Simoa) technology and the fully automated HD-1 digital immunoassay platform (Photo courtesy of Quanterix).
Image: The single molecule array (Simoa) technology and the fully automated HD-1 digital immunoassay platform (Photo courtesy of Quanterix).
New technology could help advance blood biomarker capabilities for improved diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

The equipment being launched could help scientists develop blood biomarker resources that show changes in low concentrations of specific proteins present following a neurological injury.

There have been limits in tissue availability and technology to detect specific proteins and other potential biomarkers in the blood following TBI. Analyzing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been the most common approach to date to measure these proteins. However, this requires an invasive procedure, and it is not always available or obtainable with certain injuries. Nor is it regularly used to monitor progression and recovery because of its invasive nature.

The single molecule array (Simoa) technology developed by Quanterix (Lexington, MA, USA) and their fully automated HD-1 analyzer, offers unprecedented improvement in protein sensitivity over current technologies for the detection of blood-based biomarkers. The new method is as much as 1,000 times more sensitive than conventional immunoassays. Specifically, it allows for more effective measurement of low concentration of proteins, such as tau, a normal protein that is released from brain cells following a brain injury. Scientists utilizing this technology hope to develop and validate a simple, more objective blood biomarker for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Mony J. de Leon, EdD, a professor of psychiatry at Langone Medical Center (New York, NY, USA) said, “This diagnostic advancement provides us with a more precise ruler for measuring the effectiveness of diagnosis, treatment and progression of TBI. We know that increased tau proteins in the cerebrospinal fluid are a marker for TBI. Having more immediate and consistent access to tau measurements from the blood or saliva will allow us to more accurately determine if a brain injury has, indeed, occurred, and how well a patient is responding to treatment.”

Charles L. Marmar, MD, the Lucius Littauer professor and chairman of Psychiatry at Langone Medical Center, added, “The Quanterix Simoa will accelerate the discovery of new biomarkers to identify TBI and the development of new treatments, including targeted medications and other therapies. It is truly a breakthrough for advancing detection and treatment of brain injuries.”

Related Links:

Quanterix
Langone Medical Center  


Platinum Member
COVID-19 Rapid Test
OSOM COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test
Magnetic Bead Separation Modules
MAG and HEATMAG
Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Test
GPP-100 Anti-CCP Kit
Gold Member
ADAMTS-13 Protease Activity Test
ATS-13 Activity Assay

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The 3D printed miniature ionizer is a key component of a mass spectrometer (Photo courtesy of MIT)

3D Printed Point-Of-Care Mass Spectrometer Outperforms State-Of-The-Art Models

Mass spectrometry is a precise technique for identifying the chemical components of a sample and has significant potential for monitoring chronic illness health states, such as measuring hormone levels... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The CAPILLARYS 3 DBS devices have received U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance (Photo courtesy of Sebia)

Next Generation Instrument Screens for Hemoglobin Disorders in Newborns

Hemoglobinopathies, the most widespread inherited conditions globally, affect about 7% of the population as carriers, with 2.7% of newborns being born with these conditions. The spectrum of clinical manifestations... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The AI predictive model identifies the most potent cancer killing immune cells for use in immunotherapies (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

AI Predicts Tumor-Killing Cells with High Accuracy

Cellular immunotherapy involves extracting immune cells from a patient's tumor, potentially enhancing their cancer-fighting capabilities through engineering, and then expanding and reintroducing them into the body.... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The T-SPOT.TB test is now paired with the Auto-Pure 2400 liquid handling platform for accurate TB testing (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Integrated Solution Ushers New Era of Automated Tuberculosis Testing

Tuberculosis (TB) is responsible for 1.3 million deaths every year, positioning it as one of the top killers globally due to a single infectious agent. In 2022, around 10.6 million people were diagnosed... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: A view of the brain with perturbation expression (Photo courtesy of Scripps Research)

Groundbreaking CRISPR Screen Technology Rapidly Determines Disease Mechanism from Tissues

Thanks to over a decade of advancements in human genetics, scientists have compiled extensive lists of genetic variations linked to a wide array of human diseases. However, understanding how a gene contributes... Read more