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Events Calendar
Liquid Biopsy Technologies for Cancer and Prenatal Diagnostics: The Impact of Nanotechnology
The current gold standard for cancer diagnosis relies on pathologists analyzing tumor tissues obtained via invasive procedures like surgical excision or needle biopsy. However, researchers have proposed using a "liquid biopsy" as a less invasive alternative to solid tumor biopsy. This approach involves analyzing blood components such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) that contain molecular contents similar to those found in the parental tumor tissues. By performing molecular analysis on CTCs and tumor-derived EVs, we can gain insights into the underlying biology of cancer, identify appropriate treatment strategies, and monitor disease progression. At the UCLA Liquid Biopsy Laboratory, we have developed platform technologies including "NanoVelcro Chips" and "Click Chips" that utilize immuno-affinity agent-coated nanostructured substrates to purify and characterize CTCs and tumor-derived EVs. These technologies have undergone clinical validation for cancer diagnosis, and we believe they could also be useful for reducing the need for invasive sampling of placenta tissues in prenatal diagnosis. In this presentation, I will provide an overview of our latest liquid biopsy technologies and their clinical validation for cancer and prenatal diagnoses.
Hosted by Professor KiBum Li
~Coffee/tea will be served prior to the lecture~