08:00 | Registration |
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Emerging Technologies in MDx |
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08:15 |  | Keynote Presentation Selector, A New MDx Assay Format for the Sensitive Detection of Rare Targets
Norman Nelson, Senior Consultant, NCN Enterprises, United States of America
A new molecular diagnostic assay has been developed for the detection of rare genetic alterations, minority species and other rare targets present in complex wild-type genomic backgrounds. The assay can be configured to detect single mutations or groups of mutations, displays exquisite sensitivity and can detect mutations at less than 0.01% prevalence. |
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09:15 | Microfluidics-enable Molecular Diagnostics for Infectious Diseases
Holger Becker, Chief Scientific Officer, Microfluidic ChipShop GmbH, Germany
Microfluidics has become one of the key enabling technologies for the product development in molecular diagnostics. We present building blocks for molecular diagnostic cartridges and demonstrate application cases such as sepsis, pneumonia or urinary tract infections. |
10:00 | Coffee and Networking in Exhibiton Hall |
10:45 | Rapid Isolation and Detection of Cancer Related cfc-DNA/RNA Biomarkers Directly from Patient Blood Samples
Michael Heller, Professor, Dept Bioengineering, University of California-San Diego, United States of America
A dielectrophoretic (DEP) device was used to isolate ccf-DNA directly from blood samples from 15 chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients and 3 healthy individuals. The complete process, 25ul blood sample to ccf-DNA for PCR, was completed in less than 10 minutes. The PCR and DNA sequencing results were comparable to results obtained using much more time consuming and laborious “Gold Standard” processes. |
11:30 |  | Keynote Presentation A Rapidly Reconfigurable, “Open-Source” Point-of-Care Test (POCT) System
Chong Ahn, Distinguished University Research Professor, Mitchell P. Kartalia Chair Professor of BioMEMS, University of Cincinnati, United States of America
A new “open-source” POCT system with the performance quality of lab-based methods will be presented in this talk. The open-source and rapidly reconfigurable nature of the POCT system provides rapid assay conversion to POCT, “tunable” ultra-high sensitivity, and wide-dynamic range for use in Emergency room labs and Physician’s office labs. The sample tests for cardiac Troponin-I and b-hCG have shown very promising results. This new POCT system allows the user of POCT have the quality of lab-based methods. |
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12:30 | Lunch and Networking in Exhibition Hall |
13:30 | Poster Viewing Session |
14:15 | Novel Electrochemical Platforms as Promising Alternatives for Cancer Biomarkers and Infectious Bacteria Determination
Susana Campuzano, Post Doctoral Scholar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain
In this presentation novel sensing platforms developed for the determination of clinically relevant biomarkers considered as sensitive and selective reporters of infection and cancer will be summarized and discussed. The great analytical performance exhibited by these methodologies will pave the way for the development of convenient point-of-care (POC) devices to allow diagnostic/prognosis and therapeutic action in primary health care. |
15:00 | Molecular Detection with Plasmonic Structures
Steve Blair, Professor, University of Utah, United States of America
Plasmonic structures facilitate the interaction between light and biomolecules and may serve as a key enabling factor in the next generation of single-molecule diagnostic tools. One modality of enhancement lies in increased signal-to-background ratio in fluorescence detection, which will be the focus of the presentation. |
15:45 | Coffee and Networking in Exhibiton Hall |
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New Technology and Approaches |
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16:30 | Development of Biostabilization Methods in all Ambient Workflow for Point-of-Care Molecular Diagnostics MDx
Rolf Muller, Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer, Biomatrica, United States of America
There is an increasing need for the development of technologies for handling human specimens in an all ambient workflow at point-of-care, laboratory and field settings without sacrificing the quality of molecular analytes contained in patient samples. Biomatrica has developed sample biostabilization technology that eliminates the need for cold chain transport and storage of specimens, resulting in significant cost savings for the diagnostic laboratory workflow. Data will be presented to demonstrate that such biostabilized nucleic acid samples retain near-native quality and quantity compared to fresh samples and can also be used for molecular diagnostics based on comprehensive genomic data generated by next-gen sequencing platforms. Biomatrica’s biostabilization based complete ambient diagnostic workflow holds great promise for molecular diagnostic applications in a point of care setting. |
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Companion Diagnostics |
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17:15 | ALK, ROS1 and RET Fusion Detection in Lung Cancer
Maruja Lira, Senior Scientist, Pfizer Inc, United States of America
~7% of non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) harbor oncogenic fusions involving ALK, ROS1 and RET. We developed and validated a single-tube multiplex assay to detect the three fusions. Our test shows promise as a more practical and cost-effective screening modality for detection of rare but targetable fusions in lung cancer. |
18:00 | Reception and Roundtable Discussions in Exhibition Hall |
19:30 | End of Day One |
