In an thrilling new improvement, a multidisciplinary crew of researchers at CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST), Thiruvananthapuram, has claimed that they’re very shut to perfecting the scientific validation of a diagnostic platform, which is able to allow the early detection of many cancers and Alzheimer’s illness (AD) by a simple and reasonably priced blood test.
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Ground breaking venture
“A “ground-breaking” venture, we now have already accomplished Phase 1 of the pilot research for the first scientific validation of the diagnostic modality we now have developed, on the platform of the extremely delicate strategy of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). We hope to excellent this by bigger trials involving a number of scientific companions quickly,” says Dr. C. Anandharamakrishnan, the Director of CSIR-NIIST.
After analysis spanning over eight years, the crew at NIIST had developed a SERS-based diagnostic platform and functionalised nanoparticle probes which enabled the detection of varied grades of cervical cancer and the three main biomarkers for breast cancer from tissue samples. This expertise has already been patented.
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“We wanted to take our extensive experience with Raman spectroscopy in medical diagnostics a step ahead and build a non-invasive cancer detection modality on the same platform. By integrating SERS with artificial intelligence (AI), we have now developed mathematical models, which can analyse the biomolecular Raman fingerprints reflected in blood samples and detect early metabolic changes indicative of cancer,” Dr. Anandharamakrishnan says.
Use of Raman spectroscopy
Raman spectroscopy, invented in 1928, is a strong analytical approach which has the potential to present invaluable insights into the molecular composition and construction of a pattern by measuring the scattering of laser mild
Since the previous 10-15 years, SERS, an enhanced type of typical Raman spectroscopy, has generated a lot curiosity as a potential software to support non-invasive cancer detection, due to its potential for selecting up early metabolites or cancer biomarkers in blood (also referred to as “liquid biopsy”). Raman spectroscopy is especially suited to analysing blood due to its excessive sensitivity for biomolecules, speedy evaluation, and outcomes, lack of pattern preparation, and non-destructive nature, in accordance to the literature.
Plasma separated from blood samples is positioned within the Raman spectrometer and the totally different spectra thus obtained, are analysed for the metabolite Raman fingerprint. This is matched towards the algorithm created by AI, for an correct prognosis as malignant or benign.
AI-based evaluation
NIIST has partnered with a start-up, Olusium Technologies, which specialises in AI-based applied sciences, to excellent the algorithm by going over a number of thousand spectra readings. As a parallel course of, the SERS-AI evaluation can be being matched towards typical cytopathology / imaging research of organic samples, to guarantee accuracy.
“Validation can be time-consuming, especially if we want to bring up the accuracy levels to 99%,” says Dr. Anandharamakrishnan.
Neuro-degenerative problems
Last yr, the crew turned its consideration to neuro-degenerative problems, notably Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), to decide if the early detection of the illness is feasible from blood samples utilizing the identical expertise
Here, the researchers are in search of the imbalance of sure prevalent biomarkers particular to AD, utilizing SERS and nanoparticle probes to classify blood samples as “healthy” ,”with delicate cognitive impairment (MCI)” and “dementia”. This will likely be validated towards MRI pictures and cognitive evaluation stories by medical doctors. The three-year venture is being funded by the ICMR.
The pilot examine has been initiated and a crew of clinicians, together with these from the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, are chipping in to validate the spectra-based outcomes.
Routine blood assessments
“The biggest advantage will indeed be that the test is non-invasive and affordable. We hope to contain the cost below ₹200 per test”Dr. Anandharamakrishnan, Director of CSIR-NIIST
The spotlight of the computer-guided SERS-based diagnostic platform NIIST crew has devised is that the early detection of cancers and AD could be provided as routine blood assessments on-site, in hospitals and laboratories by utilizing a transportable Raman spectrometer. NIIST is already working in a mission mode on the prototype of a hand-held Raman spectrometer.
There is not any want for any pattern preparation and the outcomes can be found in lower than half an hour. The AI algorithm could be encapsulated in a {hardware} chip to be put in within the machine.
“The biggest advantage will indeed be that the test is non-invasive and affordable. We hope to contain the cost below ₹ 200 per test,” he says.
