LOW-COST AFFINITY SYSTEM FOR PREPARATION OF PLASMA/SERUM FOR BIOMARKER ANALYSIS

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): We will develop a disposable, affinity-based capillary tube [AffiTip] that is capable of removing 99% of the interfering bulk protein from IgG], with poly-histidine segment to allow rapid purification from E coli, enhanced affinity through inclusion of specific ?flanking segments?, and equipped with a terminal thiol to allow facile attachment to the solid matrix; Aim 2: Test candidate products of Specific Aim 1 with BIACORE technologies to rapidly determine their affinity characteristics for albumin; and Aim 3: Confirm the ability of lead candidate(s) from Specific Aim 2 to remove proteins from plasma when immobilized to polystyrene beads. RH Hammerstedt PI NARRATIVE Public health will benefit from early detection of disease and/or appropriate prescription and use of drugs. It is now clear that analysis of biomarkers [specific compounds that link mechanism of action to clinical effectiveness] will be useful to optimizing those goals, but such analyses are difficult because of the low relative concentration of biomarkers in blood plasma. The envisioned product [AffiTip] will remove interfering materials from plasma, allowing full potential of biomarker approaches to be realized.