Automated Spectrometry System for PTSD Biomarkers

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can develop after experiencing distressing events such as combat, serious accidents and injuries, or threats. While 8 million adults are affected in the United States each year, the disorder is especially prevalent for military service members, with estimated rates as high as 20-30% for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. To prevent severe symptoms from developing, the early detection of PTSD is critical, and metabolite fingerprinting has recently shown potential for discovering biomarkers to predict disease dynamics. However, current methods for biomarker analysis are time- and cost-intensive, require complicated processing of biological samples, and are often not portable, making implementation in austere conditions or bedside clinics impractical. To address the critical need for a low-footprint PTSD diagnostic system, Luna Labs USA, LLC, along with our STTR partner Dr. James Grinias at Rowan University, proposes the development of AutoMASS, an Automated Multiplexed Assay Spectrometry System for biomarker analysis. The system will leverage existing portable high-performance liquid chromatography (Axcend) and mass spectrometry modules (Microsaic), which will be integrated with sample preparation and analysis methods developed at Luna Labs for PTSD metabolite detection. Future work will include development of an automated microfluidic cartridge with partners at GENER8 that will interface with the portable modules for end-to-end, multiplexed analysis with minimal user interaction, facilitating early diagnosis of PTSD for treatment.