Periodic Reporting for period 2 - IMPED (INTEGRATED MICROFLUIDIC PLATFORM FOR PROTEOMIC AND GENETIC EXOSOME DETECTION)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2022-02-01 do 2023-01-31
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are tiny lipid bilayer vesicles released by cells, playing a crucial role in intercellular communication through ligand signalling and cargo transfer between cells. They transport proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, thereby relaying critical information among cells. Exosomes, a type of EV, are particularly promising biomarkers, especially in cancer research, as they carry the biological signature of their parent cells in the form of various biomolecules. Additionally, exosomes can be easily collected through liquid biopsy, eliminating the need for invasive and risky procedures, and they can be obtained in high concentrations.
However, scientists face numerous challenges as they strive to understand the roles of EVs in the body. Handling and visualizing these nanoscale particles pose difficulties, their concentration in blood is extremely low (picomoles), and they exhibit high heterogeneity in terms of size and content. Nonetheless, as researchers delve deeper into the study of EVs, they are discovering that this heterogeneity contains crucial information that could aid in identifying specific markers of interest. Consequently, one of the main challenges encountered when working with EVs as biomarkers is obtaining consistent and reliable results due to their inherent diversity.
The objective of the IMPED project is to develop a comprehensive platform for studying extracellular vesicles (EVs) by integrating protein and nucleic acid detection methods. This platform aims to enable the processing and analysis of patient samples using a single device, which will encompass the extraction and purification of EVs from the sample, as well as the analysis of biomarkers present on the external membrane or encapsulated inside the vesicles.
However, scientists face numerous challenges as they strive to understand the roles of EVs in the body. Handling and visualizing these nanoscale particles pose difficulties, their concentration in blood is extremely low (picomoles), and they exhibit high heterogeneity in terms of size and content. Nonetheless, as researchers delve deeper into the study of EVs, they are discovering that this heterogeneity contains crucial information that could aid in identifying specific markers of interest. Consequently, one of the main challenges encountered when working with EVs as biomarkers is obtaining consistent and reliable results due to their inherent diversity.
The objective of the IMPED project is to develop a comprehensive platform for studying extracellular vesicles (EVs) by integrating protein and nucleic acid detection methods. This platform aims to enable the processing and analysis of patient samples using a single device, which will encompass the extraction and purification of EVs from the sample, as well as the analysis of biomarkers present on the external membrane or encapsulated inside the vesicles.
Main results obtained during the first part of the project:
• Evaluation of thermophoretic effect on lipidic vesicles
• Comparison of new microfluidic methods of purification of EVs to standard ones
• Elaboration of a new extraction method based on magnetic beads
• Implementation of an innovative system of detection of extravesicular proteins at single EV level with multiplex detection
Main results obtained during the second part of the project:
• Finalization of a manuscript on the comparison of EVs extraction methods
• Transfer of knowledge between Canada and France
• Setting up characterization protocols for transfer of knowledge
• Optimization of a new microfluidic module for EVs subpopulations extraction
• Development of an automated platform to extract and characterize EVs in droplets
• Evaluation of thermophoretic effect on lipidic vesicles
• Comparison of new microfluidic methods of purification of EVs to standard ones
• Elaboration of a new extraction method based on magnetic beads
• Implementation of an innovative system of detection of extravesicular proteins at single EV level with multiplex detection
Main results obtained during the second part of the project:
• Finalization of a manuscript on the comparison of EVs extraction methods
• Transfer of knowledge between Canada and France
• Setting up characterization protocols for transfer of knowledge
• Optimization of a new microfluidic module for EVs subpopulations extraction
• Development of an automated platform to extract and characterize EVs in droplets
The project IMPED is dedicated to the conception of an innovative tool for total EVs analysis, but also to the discovery of combination of new markers, either proteins or nucleic acids, as biomarkers for disease. This platform would allow to have access to the single vesicle /subpopulation analysis for EVs-based non invasive diagnostics. To our knowledge, it would be the first technology to couple intra- and extra-vesicle detection at a single/subpopulation particle level within a single platform.This project will foster major breakthroughs in nano-scale analysis methods with integration of extraction, capture and detection of proteins and nucleic acids and thus help advance knowledge in this field of research.
The project IMPED is a unique occasion to transfer knowledge between two prestigious institutions: McGill University in Canada and the Institut Curie in France. Those results have led for now to two publications, 5 proceedings and a ‘Young researchers’ price (from the GDR Micro-Nano-Fluidic).
The project IMPED is a unique occasion to transfer knowledge between two prestigious institutions: McGill University in Canada and the Institut Curie in France. Those results have led for now to two publications, 5 proceedings and a ‘Young researchers’ price (from the GDR Micro-Nano-Fluidic).