Research Alejandro Valverde De La Fuente

Abstract

Inspired by the European Union (EU) commission, this project aims to address a major societal challenge: fighting cancer. The EU has ambitious goals, such as saving more than three million lives and improving diagnosis and treatment for everyone in Europe. MutArray will contribute to achieve them by providing fast, affordable and reliable diagnosis and monitoring for colorectal cancer (CRC), which is the second leading cause of cancer deaths globally. Accurate detection of clinical biomarkers is a priority, requiring analytical devices that enable rapid analysis with high specificity and sensitivity. Electrochemical bioplatforms are emerging tools for diagnostic systems thanks to their inherent simplicity, cost and time effectiveness, which are the limitations of current clinical technologies. MutArray will focus on the development of a 96-well plate multiplexed bioplatform based on the use of the singlet oxygen-mediated photoelectrochemistry, locked nucleic acids (LNA) probes and the CRISPR/Cas system for the specific detection of CRC biomarkers, such as single nucleotide variations (SNVs). Both solid (tissue) and liquid (plasma) biopsies from CRC patients will be analyzed and clinically validated for SNV detection in the KRAS oncogene. This novel approach can be used to detect any nucleic acid biomarker and will ensure the translation from a laboratory technology to a benchtop device for clinicians and hospital settings that positively impacts the fight against cancer.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: De Wael Karolien
• Co-promoter: Vandamme Timon
• Fellow: Valverde De La Fuente Alejandro

Research team(s)

• Antwerp engineering, PhotoElectroChemistry & Sensing (A-PECS)

Project type(s)

• Research Project

Abstract

Inspired by the mission of the EU commission, this project commits to tackling a major societal challenge, i.e., fighting cancer. A striking target for 2030 has been set by the EU: more than 3 million lives saved, living longer and better, achieve a thorough understanding of cancer, prevent what is preventable, optimize diagnosis and treatment, support the quality of life of all people exposed to cancer, and ensure equitable access to the above across Europe. The SOCMA project will contribute to (early) diagnosis and follow up of the disease. More and more biomarkers are discovered and validated for cancer and the highly precise determination thereof is high on the priority list, necessitating analytical devices that allow rapid and accurate analysis with high selectivity and sensitivity. Electrochemical bioplatforms are emerging tools for point-of-care diagnostic systems due to their inherent simplicity, fast response, high sensitivity, and, most importantly, cost and time effectiveness, which are the limitations of current diagnostic technologies. SOCMA proposes the use of the singlet-oxygen mediated photoelectrochemistry for the selective and sensitive detection of low concentrations of cancer biomarkers (e.g., DNA point mutations in KRAS gene) through specific LNA capture probes and DNA amplification techniques such as RCA. This project will focus on the development of a multiplexed 96-well plate bioplatform that allow the detection and quantification of the selected DNA sequences both in tissue and liquid biopsies from patients diagnosed with CRC and PDAC, to ensure the translation from a laboratory technology to a device for clinicians and hospital settings that positively impacts the fight against cancer.

Researcher(s)

• Promoter: De Wael Karolien
• Fellow: Valverde De La Fuente Alejandro

Research team(s)

• Antwerp engineering, PhotoElectroChemistry & Sensing (A-PECS)

Project type(s)

• Research Project