Tiny sensor array that reads disease fingerprints in blood
Nanosensor Array Platform to Capture Whole Disease Fingerprints
This project uses a nanosensor system to read patterns in blood or serum that might help detect cancers linked to CA‑125 and find new biomarkers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11325753 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers will use very small sensors coated on carbon nanotubes that change their light signals when different molecules in blood stick to them. They will collect blood or serum samples and run them across a diverse sensor array to capture many subtle molecular interactions. Machine learning will be used to recognize patterns or “fingerprints” that differ between healthy and diseased samples. The goal is to improve diagnosis and screening and to discover new biomarkers that could help detect disease earlier.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates include people with known or suspected cancers (especially those monitored with CA‑125, such as ovarian cancer) or volunteers willing to donate blood or serum for biomarker research.
Not a fit: People who need immediate treatment decisions or whose conditions do not change detectable blood molecules may not get direct clinical benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable earlier and more accurate detection of cancer from routine blood samples.
How similar studies have performed: Related sensor‑array and machine‑learning approaches have shown promise in small experimental studies but are still experimental and not part of routine care.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Heller, Daniel Alan — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Heller, Daniel Alan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.