Abstract

Enabling Microfluidics and Nanosensing Technologies for Circulating Biomarker Analysis

Yong Zeng, Associate Professor, University of Florida

Developing circulating biomarkers and blood-based tests is extremely appealing for non-invasive cancer diagnosis and monitoring of therapy response where tissue biopsy is highly invasive and costly.  However, in many case circulating biomarkers (e.g., ctDNA, proteins and exosomes) are present at very low concentration levels.  In comparison with nucleic acids that can be amplified, quantitative detection of low-level proteins and extracellular vesicles remains very challenging.  We have been developing new nanotechnology and microfluidics-based sensing platforms for ultrasensitive analysis of circulating biomarkers with broad dynamic range.  These technologies substantially enhances the analytical performance, while reducing the sample demand and analysis time.  We will demonstrate the applications of these microfluidic platforms to quantitative analysis of protein biomarkers and tumor-derived exosomes in circulation as a means for liquid biopsy based non-invasive diagnosis of cancer diagnostics.  Overall, these microfluidic systems would provide enabling bioanalytical technologies to promote quantitative measurement of complex biological systems and clinical disease diagnosis.