The synthesis of tailored Fe/Fe<sub>3</sub>O<sub>4</sub> nanoparticles, which are dispersible and sufficiently stable in aqueous buffers has enabled the design of ultrasensitive nanobiosensors for the detection of multiple proteases (ADAM’s, cathepsins, caspases, granzymes and matrix metalloproteinases), and enzymes capable of post-translational detection (multiple kinases and arginase) with sub-femtomolar limits of detection. We have developed a methodology for liquid biopsies using serum from cancer patients, which permits the detection of stage 1 breast-, lung-, and pancreatic-  cancers with more than 95% accuracy. Stage 0 detection is currently being developed.  The development of liquid biopsies for solid tumor detection at the earliest stages was performed in collaboration with Gaohong Zhu, head of Radiology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University, China, where we have carried out two successful clinical trials from 2014 to 2016, with a total of more than 15,000 patients. We were able to identify protease signatures for 11 types of solid tumors.

Liquid biopsies for early stage solid tumors

255th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.