Molecular Staging Inc.

Alere San Diego, Inc.

Qlagen Gmbh

Stephen F Kingsmore

Girish Nallur

Barry Schweitzer

Jeremy P Lambert

R Steven Wiltshire

Mark Driscoll

Velizar T Tchernev

Serguei J Lejnine

Biomarkers for sepsis and resulting mortality can be detected by assaying blood samples. Changes in the concentration of the biomarkers can be used to indicate sepsis, risk of sepsis, progression of sepsis, remission from sepsis, and risk of mortality. Changes can be evaluated relative to data sets, natural or synthetic or semisynthetic control samples, or patient samples collected at different time points. Some biomarkers' concentrations are elevated during disease and some are depressed. These are termed informative biomarkers. Some biomarkers are diagnostic in combination with others. Individual biomarkers may be weighted when used in combinations. Biomarkers can be assessed in individual, isolated or assays, in parallel assays, or in single-pot assays.

Biomarkers for sepsis

Disclosed are compositions and methods for detecting small quantities of analytes such as proteins and peptides. The method involves associating a primer with an analyte and subsequently using the primer to mediate rolling circle replication of a circular DNA molecule. Amplification of the DNA circle is dependent on the presence of the primer. Thus, the disclosed method produces an amplified signal, via rolling circle amplification, from any analyte of interest. The amplified DNA remains associated with the analyte, via the primer, and so allows spatial detection of the analyte. The disclosed method can be used to detect and analyze proteins and peptides. Multiple proteins can be analyzed using microarrays to which the various proteins are immobilized. A rolling circle replication primer is then associated with the various proteins using a conjugate of the primer and a molecule that specifically binds the proteins to be detectable. Rolling circle replication from the primers results in production of a large amount of DNA at the sites in the array where the proteins are immobilized. The amplified DNA serves as a readily detectable signal for the proteins. The disclosed method can also be used to compare the proteins expressed in two or more different samples. The information generated is analogous to the type of information gathered in nucleic acid expression profiles. The disclosed method allows sensitive and accurate detection and quantitation of proteins expressed in any cell or tissue.

Protein expression profiling

Methods for the amplification of selected nucleic acids at high rate but with high specificity and control are disclosed using a secondary, tertiary, quaternary or higher order platform especially designed to amplify selected sequences within the primary product of linear or exponential rolling circle amplification and amplifying said sequences along with specialized detector or reporter molecules that serve to enhance the ability to detect the amplification products.

Poly-primed amplification of nucleic acid sequences

Growing community of inventors

Guilford, CT, United States of America

Stephen F Kingsmore