Broad potential use, low-cost implementation
A NOVEL DIAGNOSTIC PLATFORM TECHNOLOGY
Cancer nanotechnology experts at MSK have developed a new, patent-pending, diagnostic sensor with broad potential applicability in determining patient disease status from biological samples.
MSK’s state-of-the-art Diagnostic QR Codes, which are based upon an inkjet-printable, generic sensor platform, provide readouts representing the exact pattern of a patient’s disease status, derived from a broad range of samples including serum, urine, or saliva. The sensor can be produced using low-cost technology, and it is highly compatible with large-scale manufacture and utilization.
With the additional ability to detect arbitrary molecules of interest, potential applications range from clinical diagnostics to drug development and even the detection of explosives and drugs of abuse.
HOW MSK’S DIAGNOSTIC QR CODE TECHNOLOGY WORKS
This novel sensor, created by leading biomedical engineer Dr. Daniel Heller and his team at MSK, is an array-based carbon nanotube set, with fluorescence profiles dependent on their surrounding environment. The array features segments of nanotubes with different coating agents, and each nanotube segment is sensitive to different environmental factors.
When an analyte—such as a serum sample—is added, the spectral profiles of each spot may be visualized simultaneously. This effect creates a spectral ‘fingerprint’ which is unique to a particular analyte. The disease status of unknown samples can then be determined by training a neural network using analytes of known status, such as serum from healthy donors compared to serum from patients with a specific type of cancer.
The readout resembles a two-dimensional QR code—hence, the name—which represents the exact pattern of a patient’s disease. Significantly, the array is capable of screening for many diseases simultaneously, following training—that is, machine learning—using samples from patients with these different diseases. Notably, the array is easily miniaturized, and it is suitable for very high-throughput analysis.
A MULTI-FACETED VALUE PROPOSITION
- Minimal sample handling required
- Easy implementation
- Suitable for multiple use cases
- Low cost to produce
PATENT INFORMATION
Provisional application 63/516047, “Sensor Array for Fluorescence Diagnosis,” filed in July 2023
LEAD INVESTIGATORS
- Daniel Heller, PhD, Member, Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute; Head of the Cancer Nanotechnology Laboratory, MSK
- Stanislav Piletsky, PhD, Research Scholar, Molecular Pharmacology Program, SKI, MSK
CONTACT INFORMATION
Kiana Williams, JD, MBA, Digital Ventures Lead, Technology Transfer, MSK
Email: willk12@mskcc.org
MSK Internal Code: SK2023-060