We hope to revolutionize the detection of circular DNA by producing efficient and accurate technologies demonstrated in relevant environments for circular DNA visualization, purification, sequencing and computation processing methods.
We will exploit the potential of circular DNA as an early biomarker for blood-based diagnosis and efficient prognosis of IBD and cancer.
By establishing model cell lines where circular DNA can be removed, inserted and monitored at will we want to find out how circular DNAs form in vivo, how some of them contribute to oncogenesis in human cells and how most cells eliminate these molecules.
Beyond state of the art, we have;
- The first system for eccDNA on the purification of microfluidic systems.
- Created a whole pipeline for the bioinformatic analysis of circular DNA, from circles to clustering.
- The first cancer cell lines, where we have reconstituted circular DNA.
- Developed new yeast strains that look a lot like human cells, to analyze circular DNA in a genetic model of schizosaccharomyces pombe.
- Created the first fully automated cytometric (the counting and measuring of cells) software for analysis of circular DNA.
- Shown the first example of circular DNA from inflammatory IBD.
- Shown in our cancer study that areas of the genome is amplified by circular DNA, because importantly, small circular DNA can carry small genes from the genome and have very high transcription.
Impact of note, is we;
- Created have created a company, CARE-DNA Aps.
- Can potentially employ more people in both Chemometec and CARE-DNA Aps.
- Can potentially increase income for the companies based on project results.
There is a socio-economic impact for the patients that can potentially live longer, based on further research/development of the results of the project.
The project has been important to place Europe in the field of circular DNA technology, where China and USA are already strong.
The project is also important for early detection, which we are aiming at, which will have a great impact on mortality for the cancer types researched. This is millions of euro made, for EU countries, who do not lose people from the work market, when they get cancer.
