Fast and efficient methods for the detection of insurgence and
progression of diseases are at the basis of modern diagnostics and
medicine. In this concern, biomarkers represent a powerful
diagnostic tool, as their expression profiles well correlate with the
pathology progression. Thus, the pathological state could be
diagnosed by measuring the altered presence of a biomarker.
In this direction, conspicuous help has been given by proteomics,
intended as the study of the protein pattern of a sample and most
frequently performed by two-dimensional electrophoresis. Although
the proteome approach is a powerful analytical method, its
application to biological samples for the detection and quantification
of putative biomarkers is hampered by technical problems, in fact,
the wide diversity in concentrations exhibited by the proteins present
in the biological samples, with a concentration range spanning over nine orders of magnitude, and the relative abundance of each protein,
are responsible of masking the less abundant species and of their
loss in traceability.
The aim of my PhD project is to apply Molecularly Imprinted
Technology to the specific removal of a high abundance protein
(Human Serum Albumin, HSA) frequently affecting proteomic
analysis, in order to increase the detection of potential biomarkers.
This technology allows the creation of artificial recognition sites in
synthetic polymers for a specific protein. These sites are tailor-made
in situ by co-polymerisation of functional monomers and cross-linkers
around the template molecules.
Two different approaches have been assayed in order to remove HSA:
• Immobilisation of protein template on a rigid silica support
(bead) and creation of polymer around beads.
• Polymerisation in bulk of a polymer with protein template and
application of this polymer to multicompartment electrolyser. In both of the cases, the chemical and structural features of the
polymers have been analysed, after that they have been applied to
complex proteome pre-treatment, obtaining encouraging results
Is data on this page outdated, violates copyrights or anything else? Report the problem now and we will take corresponding actions after reviewing your request.