Dr. Pengfei Song has developed methods of real-time SR-UMI. Current SR-UMI requires hours of data post-processing, making it impractical for clinical, diagnostic...
Dr. Pengfei Song has developed methods of real-time SR-UMI. Current SR-UMI requires hours of data post-processing, making it impractical for clinical, diagnostic applications. Implementing advances in deep learning and parallel computing, Dr. Song's team was able to realize real-time microbubble signal extraction, separation, localization, tracking, and quantitative analysis and display. This technology has a wide range of clinical applications including but not limited to the diagnosis and characterization of many disorders including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological diseases.
Professor Yi Lu from the University of Illinois has developed an aptamer-based method for virus detection that is able to distinguish infective viruses from non-infective...
Professor Yi Lu from the University of Illinois has developed an aptamer-based method for virus detection that is able to distinguish infective viruses from non-infective virions at concentrations as low as 1 pfu/mL.
This technology has been developed on human adenovirus but can be generalized to any virus of interest. Since it is not based on the sequencing of genetic information, it requires no sample preparation and can be completed in ~30 minutes.
This technology has great potential utility for diagnostics and environmental testing, specifically water quality testing, for the identification and mitigation of water-borne illnesses including adenovirus.
Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a highly sensitive, graphene field effect transistor (gFET) that can detect DNA in samples. This technology uses...
Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a highly sensitive, graphene field effect transistor (gFET) that can detect DNA in samples. This technology uses Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) and crumpled graphene in order to detect the presence of a target segment of DNA within a provided sample. By using crumpled graphene, gFET, and LAMP Dr. Ganguli's technology is able rapidly detect pathogens using entirely electronic means bringing diagnostics directly to point of care medical practice, all while being less expensive, more sensitive, and quicker than other traditional, gold-standard pathogen diagnostics methods. This technology is even able to detect molecular concentrations down to 8 zeptomolar.
Publication: Ganguli, A., Faramarzi, V., Mostafa, A., Hwang, M. T., You, S., & Bashir, R. (2020). High Sensitivity Graphene Field Effect Transistor-Based Detection of DNA Amplification. Advanced Functional Materials, 30(28), [2001031]. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202001031
Professor Beth Stadtmueller and Sonya Kumar Bharathkar have created a chimeric secretory immunoglobulin A (cSIgA) with a modified secretory component (SC) that can be used...
Professor Beth Stadtmueller and Sonya Kumar Bharathkar have created a chimeric secretory immunoglobulin A (cSIgA) with a modified secretory component (SC) that can be used in therapeutic treatment. The bispecific cSIgA can bind its target antigen and additional ligands by an engineered SC portion, such as toxins or surface antigens. This can be applied to treatment for mucosal infections such as Clostridium difficile.
Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a non-invasive method for the early detection of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and -...
Researchers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a non-invasive method for the early detection of human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and -negative head and neck cancer using saliva samples. This method has potential research and clinical applications including diagnosis of HPV-positive and -negative head-and-neck cancer. The approach detects several genes characteristic of each type of cancer HNSCC that are commonly detected in head-and-neck cancer.
Applications: Diagnosis of HPV-positive and -negative head-and-neck cancer; research applications
Benefits:
Non-invasive as it only requires saliva from patient
Saliva-based screening is quick (i.e., hours) and easy as it uses common laboratory equipment
Head-and-neck screening can be completed more than the recommendation of once a year because it is low in cost, fast, and non-invasive.
As our understanding of biological systems and human diseases advance, humans are now trying to combat cancer with new development of drugs and therapeutic treatments. An...
As our understanding of biological systems and human diseases advance, humans are now trying to combat cancer with new development of drugs and therapeutic treatments. An aspect that scientists are working on is the development of personalized cancer therapies to train our immune system to recognize and target our own cancer cells. The Wang Lab has developed a new personalized cancer therapy. It is a cancer vaccine that makes cancer-cell derived exosomes more effective antigens for targeting specific tumors. This way, we can get a better chance at utilizing these particles to boost our T cells and Dendritic cells to fight against cancer.
Radiological clips, or markers, are inserted at the time of biopsy to mark tumor locations, lesions and lymph nodes for consistent identification over time and multiple...
Radiological clips, or markers, are inserted at the time of biopsy to mark tumor locations, lesions and lymph nodes for consistent identification over time and multiple treatments. Prof. Michael Oelze has developed a new type of radiological clip that have a unique ultrasonic signal, acting like both a beacon and a barcode. This technology can be particularly helpful to mark multiple areas that are close together.
This cancer treatment material and approach is a less invasive, more targeted alternative for treating radiation-sensitive tumors. A novel mechanophore-containing hydrogel...
This cancer treatment material and approach is a less invasive, more targeted alternative for treating radiation-sensitive tumors. A novel mechanophore-containing hydrogel is deposited at the tumor site and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is used to locally generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) through an approach we call mechanochemical dynamic therapy (MDT). MDT dramatically decreases non-tumor cytotoxicity caused by conventional radiation treatments, which have to deliver damaging radiation through layers of healthy tissue to reach a tumor. Since HIFU can penetrate deep into and through tissues—including bone—MDT has the potential to significantly increase the number of tumors that are candidates for minimally invasive treatment. These combined features of targeted treatment (inaccessible through sonodynamic therapies) and the ability to treat deep-seated tumors (inaccessible through photodynamic therapy) makes MDT an extremely promising new approach for effective tumor treatment with minimal side effects.
Benefits:
Reduces side effects compared to photodynamic and sonodynamic therapies
