Grant: Idea to Innovation
University of Ottawa
$123,800.00
No need for beads! Virus-derived biological standards for nanoscale flow cytometry
EF 2018-19
Résumé
Nanoscale flow cytometry (NFC) is an emerging and transformative technology that is designed to analyze the composition of cell-derived surface markers expressed on minute biological particles, most notably viruses and extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs resemble tiny bubbles constantly released by all cell types and serve as a means of communication to coordinate growth, differentiation, but also to warn other cells of potential dangers such as injury, infection and diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Analyzing the surface markers of EVs isolated from biological fluids such as blood, saliva and urine may provide early warning signs of disease or infection. As such, markers on the surface of EVs are poised to become valuable and powerful tools for medical and veterinary clinical diagnostics. Despite NFC being capable of analyzing EV surface markers, its broad deployment and adoption by hospitals and research centers has been hindered by the absence of suitable commercial instrument calibration standards and experimental controls. We have developed fluorescent virus-derived particles that mimic the size and physical properties of EVs, and thereby act as extremely reliable and effective controls for NFC. The viruses can be produced consistently, cheaply and in large quantities. The work proposed here will further improve these viruses to meet specific research and clinical requirements. The anticipated outcome is the production of 10 different virus-derived standards or controls that can be used in various research and clinical NFC applications for the accurate analysis of EV surface markers. We will ensure the supply of theses virus-derived particles through the creation of a start-up company dedicated to making them. The start-up will supply NFC instrument manufacturers and reagent distributors with the virus-derived standards, and they will make them available to their academic and industry clients. Economic and societal benefits to Canada include the training of highly qualified personnel, and the creation of a start-up that will manufacture a reagent for NFC applications which will, in turn, lead to a new generation of non-invasive diagnostic tests for disease and infection for use in humans, fish and livestock.*
Programme
Idea to Innovation
Bénéficiaire
Emplacement
Ontario, Canada
Type de bénéficiaire
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
Tel que publié
Application id
531917-2018
Name nom
Langlois, MarcAndré
Department département
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Organization id
28
Institution établissement
University of Ottawa
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2018
Competition year année de concours
2018
Award amount
123800
Program id
I2IPJ
Program name en
Idea to Innovation
Program name fr
De l'idée à l'innovation
Group en
Research partnerships programs
Group fr
Programmes de partenariat
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
1201
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Life sciences (including biotechnology)
Area of application fr
Sciences de la vie (y compris biotechnologie)
Research subject code
5202
Research subject group en
Microbiology
Research subject group fr
Microbiologie
Research subject en
Virology
Research subject fr
Virologie
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
No need for beads! Virus-derived biological standards for nanoscale flow cytometry
Keyword
NSERC
Application summary
Nanoscale flow cytometry (NFC) is an emerging and transformative technology that is designed to analyze the composition of cell-derived surface markers expressed on minute biological particles, most notably viruses and extracellular vesicles (EVs). EVs resemble tiny bubbles constantly released by all cell types and serve as a means of communication to coordinate growth, differentiation, but also to warn other cells of potential dangers such as injury, infection and diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. Analyzing the surface markers of EVs isolated from biological fluids such as blood, saliva and urine may provide early warning signs of disease or infection. As such, markers on the surface of EVs are poised to become valuable and powerful tools for medical and veterinary clinical diagnostics. Despite NFC being capable of analyzing EV surface markers, its broad deployment and adoption by hospitals and research centers has been hindered by the absence of suitable commercial instrument calibration standards and experimental controls. We have developed fluorescent virus-derived particles that mimic the size and physical properties of EVs, and thereby act as extremely reliable and effective controls for NFC. The viruses can be produced consistently, cheaply and in large quantities. The work proposed here will further improve these viruses to meet specific research and clinical requirements. The anticipated outcome is the production of 10 different virus-derived standards or controls that can be used in various research and clinical NFC applications for the accurate analysis of EV surface markers. We will ensure the supply of theses virus-derived particles through the creation of a start-up company dedicated to making them. The start-up will supply NFC instrument manufacturers and reagent distributors with the virus-derived standards, and they will make them available to their academic and industry clients. Economic and societal benefits to Canada include the training of highly qualified personnel, and the creation of a start-up that will manufacture a reagent for NFC applications which will, in turn, lead to a new generation of non-invasive diagnostic tests for disease and infection for use in humans, fish and livestock.*
