Agency for Science, Technology and Research

National University of Singapore

Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd

Huilin Shao

Jing Kai Tan

Patrick Tan

Bin Tean Teh

Zhigang Wang

Nicholas Rui Yuan Ho

Xiaosai Yao

Joanna Koh

Xuecheng Sun

Devices and methods for analysing extracellular vesicle glycans are described. According to an embodiment, a microfluidic device comprises an inlet portion configured to receive a fluid sample; a mixing portion fluidically coupled to the inlet portion and configured to facilitate mixing between the fluid sample and magnetic nanoparticles functionalized to bind with extracellular vesicles and aggregate to vesicle glycans in the fluid sample; a magnetic separation portion fluidically coupled to the mixing portion and configured to separate clusters of magnetic nanoparticles from the fluid sample; and a magnetic sensor configured to measure magnetic properties of the fluid sample after it has passed through the magnetic separation portion. The magnetic nanoparticles may configured to aggregate in the presence of respective lectins when bound with extracellular vesicles carrying target glycans. In a specific embodiment, the magnetic particles comprise a magnetic polycore coated with polydopamine.

Magnetic analysis of extracellular vesicle glycans

The present invention provides methods and devices for specific detection of nucleic acids using an integrated circuit of two independent enzyme-DNA nanostructures—an easily adjustable recognition element and a sensitive universal signaling element—to decouple target recognition and visual signal amplification. The recognition element comprises a DNA polymerase enzyme, a DNA polymerase enzyme-specific DNA aptamer and an inverter oligonucleotide. In the presence of a target nucleic acid, the inverter oligonucleotide binds to the target nucleic acid and releases the DNA polymerase enzyme from inhibition by the DNA aptamer. The activated DNA polymerase enzyme is then contacted with a signaling nanostructure comprising a self-priming portion responsive to the DNA polymerase enzyme, in the presence of labelled dNTPs and signal development reagents, wherein the activated DNA polymerase enzyme would add the labelled dNTPs to the self-priming portion, followed by the binding of the signal development reagents to the labelled dNTPs.

Visual and modular detection of nucleic acids with enzyme-assisted nanotechnology

Disclosed herein is a clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) biomarker set. Also disclosed herein is a detection system using the biomarker set disclosed herein, methods of determining whether a subject has or shows recurrence of clear cell renal cell carcinoma, method of determining whether a renal mass sample is benign or malignant, method of detecting response of a subject to systemic treatment, and a kit for carrying out the same.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma biomarkers

Growing community of inventors

Singapore, Singapore

Huilin Shao