Host institution: University of Turku, Finland
Host department: Department of Biochemistry
Supervisors: Dr. Urpo Lamminmäki and Dr. Janne Leivo
Project description
The project aims to develop simple and cost-efficient diagnostic assays for the detection and monitoring of PCa. Our on-going research efforts aim to utilize the detection of prostate specific targets and aberrant glycosylations on EVs as a novel source of cancer biomarkers, which have previously been found to provide enhanced specificity for other cancers. Glycosylation changes are a well-known hallmark in cancer development and progression, and can enable the specific detection of EV subpopulations originating from tumor cells. The objectives will include the identification and detection of tissue and disease specific EV-subsets with the use of novel bioaffinity reagents (lectins and antibodies).
The project will include the formulation and clinical validation of in vitro diagnostics assays of biological fluids with decisively improved capability for sensitive and specific detection of PCa tumor derived biomarker isoforms, thus providing superior tools for early detection/screening of PCa as well as monitoring of cancer cases under treatment. The lectin and antibody libraries constructed at UTU in combination with high-performance lanthanide reporter technologies provide an ideal environment for the development of new assay concepts. In addition, the work will include the development and characterization of novel binding reagents against cancer associated glycan targets with the use of synthetic antibody libraries, phage display and next generation sequencing.
Website
Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Diagnostics: https://www.utu.fi/en/university/faculty-of-science-and-engineering/biochemistry/research/biotechnology
Contact details
For more information about this position, please contact:
Dr. Urpo Lamminmäki: urplammi@utu.fi
Dr. Janne Leivo: jpleiv@utu.fi
