Biomarker Arrays for Tobacco-Related Cancer Diagnostics (2009 - Present)

Investigator:  Bernard Munge, Salve Regina University
Mentor:  James Rusling, University of Connecticut

Abstract:  This Proposal addresses the area of Biomedical Diagnostics for Early Detection of Cancer Biomarker.

Despite recent improvements in early detection and treatment, cancer is still one of the major causes of death in the world. Early cancer detection coupled with new therapies holds the best current hope to change this fact. Biomarkers are molecules (proteins) in the body that increase in concentration during the onset of cancer, and can be used for early cancer detection. Biosensor arrays are devices that can measure a number of biomarkers in patients at low cost. Measuring patterns of cancer biomarkers in patients can lead to reliable early diagnosis of tobacco-related cancer, facilitate risk assessment for individuals, and foster new cancer therapies. Biosensor arrays for this task are not available, and will be developed in this project. The long-term goal of our research is to measure collections of cancer biomarkers in serum and to correlate results to incidence and onset of cancer in tobacco users. Correlations for a broad range of patients will be made possible by developing two new arrays to measure protein biomarkers. Our initial targets are the tumor suppressor factor p53, and established cancer biomarker proteins CEA, IL-6 and IL-8. Two major new approaches for sensitive detection of cancer biomarkers will be developed.  These are; 1) bioelectronic arrays and 2) surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors.  After successful development, optimization, and validation, we will use these biosensors to examine cancer biomarker levels (mutant p53), CEA, IL-6 and IL-8) in serum of smokers and non-smokers.  These proteins are important biomarkers for cancer development and treatment monitoring. The new biosensors will be designed to measure patterns of biomarker concentrations in a single sample, which is impossible with current commercial technology. Also, they will be designed so that additional important biomarkers can be included as desired or as discovered. High sensitivities of these sensors will be achieved to detect biologically relevant levels appropriate for early detection of cancer.  This project will enable rapid assessment of important correlations between biomarker patterns and tobacco-related cancer. It will also lead to point-of-care arrays for cancer detection, tobacco-related risk assessment, and foster new cancer preventing treatments tailored to individual patients.