Affinity Based Strategies to Fast Track Development of Colon Cancer Biomarkers

Principal Investigator: Paul Lampe, PhD

Background:  This project utilizes high-density antibody microarrays to perform both broad proteomic and glycomic screens and specifically targeted analyses to discovercolon cancer biomarkers. We are analyzing both biomarkers of early detection and diagnosis in a 3-stage process: discovery, pre-validation and validation. Our high throughput, 2-stage discovery methodology will rapidly assess the utility of these markers alone, together and in combination with existing markers. 

Specific Aims:

1. To evaluate the expression/activation of proteins important in proliferation, angiogenesis, and inflammation in plasma collected 0-24 months prior to diagnosis of colon cancer.

2. To evaluate changes in the glycosylation status of proteins during colon cancer progression in plasma collected 0-24 months prior to diagnosis.

3.  To develop CRC-specific diagnostic biomarkers using pretreatment cancer tissue and plasma from colorectal cancer patients. 

4. To validate colon cancer early detection and diagnostic biomarkers on independent sample sets.