A PCT Sample Preparation System for Proteomic Research and Clinical Diagnostics

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Substantial improvements in public health are anticipated in the near future through advancements in proteomic research leading to improvements in diagnosis of human diseases. These advancements will require new tools and standardized methods for basic and applied proteomic research, and clinical diagnostics. At this time, sample preparation systems and methods being used in proteomics and clinical diagnostics, lack the necessary efficiency, accuracy or robustness to adequately elucidate the proteome such that prediction of susceptibility to disease or response to drug therapy is efficacious. Here, we propose to develop an improved system and standard methods to study the proteome based on Pressure BioSciences' Pressure Cycling Technology (PCT), a proven powerful technology in extracting molecules from cells and tissues. Milestones of this proposed study include 1) Extraction of proteins from research and clinically relevant samples to demonstrate the feasibility of safe, reproducible (accurate) and high quality protein extraction; 2) Extraction of high quality and quantitative biomarkers, and 3) Extraction of molecular complexes, such as organelles. Our ultimate goal is to develop and establish a comprehensive system with standard methods for the extraction of proteins based on Pressure Cycling Technology (PCT) to accelerate discoveries in proteomics. Mirrored to human genome project, proteomics research and application development leads new concentrated efforts aiming to improve public health by revealing human proteome and its correlation with human diseases. Since human proteome is very complex, improved, reliable, and sensitive technologies are required for data generation and analysis. This proposed study aims to develop Pressure Cycling Technology for extracting high quality and quantity of proteins for the proteomic research and clinical diagnostics that may be highly significant in accelerating proteomic research and clinical application development.