Project isoPTE: isothermic post-traumatic epilepsy miRNA biomarker detection

Project Summary Acquired epilepsy results from acute brain injury, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI). Acquired epilepsy is a major public health issue with inadequate treatment and diagnostic options. There are no biomarkers that assist in the prediction or diagnosis of acquired epilepsy. Project isoPTE will use two animal models of epilepsy to determine whether plasma microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers can predict or diagnose epilepsy caused by brain injury. miRNA expression is reliably altered in both experimental and clinical epilepsy and can be used to differentially diagnose epilepsy and determine TBI severity. We hypothesize that plasma miRNA have biomarker utility in PTE. This project will be the first to rigorously test this hypothesis. The isoPTE assay will be comprised of FYR Diagnostics’ proprietary UDAR (Ultrasensitive DNA Amplification Reaction) isothermal chemistry and a set of PTE-associated miRNAs. Our novel assay will meet the unmet needs to diagnose PTE. This project has strong commercialization potential and can lead to marketable products. Successful results will demonstrate that miRNA can rapidly and accurately predict and/or diagnose epilepsy. This will provide rationale for subsequent human studies.Project Narrative Acquired epilepsy results from acute brain injury, such as traumatic brain injury. There are no biomarkers that assist in the prediction or diagnosis of acquired epilepsy. Project isoPTE will be the first study to determine whether blood microRNA (very short oligonucleotides) can predict or diagnose acquired epilepsy.