Czech Science Foundation together with the National Science Foundation (NSF) will support the research project of Professor Jiří Homola from the Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Professor Qiuming Yu from the Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell University (USA). The project "Optical biosensor platform for simultaneous detection and quantification of exosomes and their contained biomarkers" was selected for funding based on an evaluation conducted by the NSF.
The project is focused on the development of new analytical methods based on optical biosensors and their use for the analysis of exosomes and the biomolecules contained in them. Exosomes are miniature membrane vesicles of endocytic origin that are secreted by cells into the external environment. Exosomes contain various proteins or nucleic acids (for example, short sections of RNA, so-called microRNA), which can serve as biomarkers of diseases (e.g. neurodegenerative or cancer). The levels of these molecular biomarkers are extremely low, and their detection is therefore a challenge for current analytical methods. It is assumed that new analytical methods will allow not only to improve the diagnosis of diseases, but also to deepen our knowledge of molecular processes that are related to the origin and development of diseases.
