Caroline Koch from the Imperial College London in the UK presented at London Calling 2023 about “Novel screening platform for highly multiplexed biomarker analysis.” Koch is a PH.D. student. They spoke about how humans express diseases differently: we have different genes and live different lives. Koch described the need for individual highly multiplexed platform to find biomarkers in the blood for disease diagnosis. They used DNA barcodes and a target binding region that is an aptamer or c-miRNA. This enables detection of multiple targets and small molecules. If no target is present, the DNA barcode is base called. If target is present, the signal is different because it is delayed. Furthermore, the delay can help inform signatures and concentrations of biomarkers. Koch tested the system with barcodes and molecular probes to miR-208, thrombin, and serotonin. This technology enabled the researchers to find microRNA signatures in different participants. They surveyed eight participants and detected microRNAs. This approach uses barcodes to identify probe and biomarkers. What a neat system! ONT partially funded this research. I wonder if bacterial aptamers can be used/designed?
