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.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




New Minimally Invasive Cancer Diagnostic Device Eavesdrops On Cells’ Conversations

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 26 Oct 2023
Print article
Image: The new technology could lead to quick, minimally invasive cancer diagnoses (Photo courtesy of American Chemical Society)
Image: The new technology could lead to quick, minimally invasive cancer diagnoses (Photo courtesy of American Chemical Society)

For a long time, scientists have understood that RNA (ribonucleic acid) serves as an internal messenger within cells, taking DNA's instructions to help the cells produce proteins. However, a recent discovery shows that specific kinds of RNA, termed "extracellular RNA" or exRNA, actually leave the cell. These exRNAs are enclosed in tiny carrier structures and travel through bodily fluids, acting like tiny informational messages in bottles. These exRNAs are incredibly valuable as they could hold early indicators for diseases like cancer, heart disease, and HIV. Detecting diseases via exRNA could be quicker, more effective, and cheaper than current techniques. The challenge, however, has been separating and interpreting these exRNAs, as existing methods like advanced filters and centrifuges haven't been very successful.

A team of scientists at the University of Notre Dame (Notre Dame, IN, USA) has created a groundbreaking device that uses an ingenious approach to 'eavesdrop' on cells’ conversations. This palm-sized device combines existing technologies and employs a mix of pH levels and electrical charges to segregate the exRNA carriers. The unique feature here is that each type of carrier has its own "isoelectric point," a particular pH level at which it has no positive or negative charge. Within the device, there's a seemingly simple stream of water flowing. But this stream is special. On the left side, the water is highly acidic, similar to grapefruit juice. On the opposite end of the stream, the water is extremely basic, with a pH similar to a bottle of ammonia. What's particularly remarkable about the device is its ability to generate this pH gradient in the stream without adding any chemicals, making it cost-effective and eco-friendly.

This gradient is made possible by a two-sided membrane that's powered by a custom-designed chip. This membrane divides the water into two types of ions: acidic hydronium ions and basic hydroxide ions, adding a different kind of ion to each side of the stream. As these acidic and basic streams converge, they form a pH gradient, much like how hot and cold streams form hot and cold sides with a gradient of temperature through the middle of the stream. The researchers ran the two devices in parallel and utilized machine learning to select the ideal pH range needed for separating the carriers.

What sets this approach apart is its effectiveness of the pH gradient in segregating the exRNA carriers floating in the stream. When they pass through the pH gradient, the different types of carriers form lines along their isoelectric points, making it easy to channel them into separate outlets. The researchers could obtain incredibly pure samples—up to 97%—using less than a milliliter of body fluids like blood plasma, saliva, or urine. Moreover, while the best current technologies take around a day to separate samples, this new device accomplished the task in just 30 minutes.

“Noncommunicable diseases are responsible for more than 70 percent of deaths worldwide, and cardiovascular disease and cancer are responsible for most of that number,” said postdoctoral fellow Himani Sharma who served as project lead. “Our technology shows a path to improving the way clinicians diagnose these diseases, and that could save a tremendous number of lives.”

Related Links:
University of Notre Dame

Gold Member
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
Gold Member
Blood Gas Analyzer
GEM Premier 7000 with iQM3
New
Gastrointestinal Infection Test
RIDA QUICK Cryptosporidium/Giardia/Entamoeba Combi Test
New
Anti-Annexin V IgG/IgM Assay
Anti-Annexin V IgG/IgM ELISA

Print article

Channels

Immunology

view channel
Image: Example image of the high-throughput microscopy method used in the study, showing immune cells stained with different fluorescence markers (Photo courtesy of Felix Kartnig/CeMM, MedUni Vienna)

Cutting-Edge Microscopy Technology Enables Tailored Rheumatology Therapies

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common inflammatory joint disorder, with women three times as likely to suffer from the condition as men. Treatment advances made over the past decades have led to the... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: RNA sequencing directly from whole blood aims to expand access to LRTI testing (Photo courtesy of CARB-X)

Novel Test to Diagnose Bacterial Pneumonia Directly from Whole Blood

Pneumonia and lower-respiratory-tract infections (LRTIs) are among the top causes of illness and death globally, particularly in vulnerable populations such as the elderly, young children, and immunocompromised... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: The new method uses DNA sequencing to measure metabolites (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

New Metabolite Detection Method Using DNA Sequencing Could Transform Diagnostics

Metabolites play a vital role as biomarkers that provide insights into our health, and when their levels go awry, it can lead to diseases such as diabetes and phenylketonuria. Quantifying metabolites remains... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.