The Interns for the Spring Season 2011
The Spring 2011 Season of LABapprentice has just completed filming! The interns worked on the following projects.
PROJECT #1: Molecular Diagnostics of Pleural Effusion using Molecular Splash Test and microRNA assay
Abstract: Early diagnostics and discrimination of transudative versus exudative pleural effusion has significant clinical relevance for diagnosing congestive heart failure or cancer patients. MST will improve sensitivity of the pleural fluid viscosity measurement whilst specificities may be gained by measuring microRNAs that have been reported in the literature as possible biomarkers of CVD and/or cancer.
Abstract: Early diagnostics and discrimination of transudative versus exudative pleural effusion has significant clinical relevance for diagnosing congestive heart failure or cancer patients. MST will improve sensitivity of the pleural fluid viscosity measurement whilst specificities may be gained by measuring microRNAs that have been reported in the literature as possible biomarkers of CVD and/or cancer.
PROJECT #2: Capture of circulating tumor cells from human blood for assessing tumor phenotypes in early cancer prognosis
Abstract: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are cells that detached from the primary tumor or metastatic tumor sites and entered the peripheral blood circulation. Their enumeration has been used for cancer prognosis to evaluate the efficacy of treatments. Characterization of CTCs in metastatic cancer patients could provide improved management of the disease. However, the molecular analysis of the CTCs is hindered by the extreme rare nature of the cells, as well as the contaminating blood cells during the CTC capturing process, which gives a high background signal. This project will explore new assay chemistries and devices for capturing and identifying CTC cells for future diagnostics.
PROJECT #3: Influence of biomolecular interactions on the evaporation of microdroplets in biological self-assembly for medical applications.
Abstract: This project aims to study the influence of a strong biomolecular interactions, e.g. biotin and streptavidin, on the evaporation process of microdroplets using the DLVO theory of colloidal self-assembly experimentally applied to the study the shape of deposits of titanium particle solutions as developed by Attinger et al [Langmuir, 26(11), 7833-7842 (2010)]. Experimentally, the deposit patterns after evaporation of a biotin solution at different pH values on avidin-coated slides will be observed using optical and fluorescence microscopy. Additionally, high-speed videomicroscopy will be used to study the spreading of the droplet on the avidin-coated surface. Surface tensions as well as contact angles will be determined using a goniometer. A strong interaction to interpret the experimental data with Daniel Attinger’s lab at Columbia University is also in place.