Reference number : GC-2017-Q4-01811, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Uludag, Hasan (University of Alberta), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Alberta, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Engage Grants for universities, program name french : Subventions d'engagement partenarial pour les universités, program purpose english : Minimally invasive diagnostic analyses that do not require tissue sampling is a desirable approach for detection_x000D_
of wide range of diseases, including invasive pathogens. RNA-based biomarkers from these pathogens are_x000D_
released to the bloodstream and become part of the cell free RNA pool in blood, making them promising for_x000D_
disease detection. These biomarkers, however, usually exist in small amounts and are exceptionally fragile. In_x000D_
situations where the storage conditions of the blood sample fall outside optimal handling conditions, the quality_x000D_
of the samples is compromised, thereby decreasing the sensitivity and accuracy of biomarker analysis. We are_x000D_
proposing a novel system that entails nucleic acid binding polymers to stabilize RNA markers present in blood_x000D_
to prevent their degradation under non-optimal temperature and processing (time) conditions. It is envisioned_x000D_
that the blood samples treated with the stabilizing agents and subsequent analysis can be carried out without_x000D_
sample degradation. Upon successful completion of this project, our industrial partner Aquila Diagnostic_x000D_
Systems Inc. is expected to launch of the new blood collection system that will result in a new source of_x000D_
revenue and increase the job creation in Canada., program purpose french : Minimally invasive diagnostic analyses that do not require tissue sampling is a desirable approach for detection_x000D_
of wide range of diseases, including invasive pathogens. RNA-based biomarkers from these pathogens are_x000D_
released to the bloodstream and become part of the cell free RNA pool in blood, making them promising for_x000D_
disease detection. These biomarkers, however, usually exist in small amounts and are exceptionally fragile. In_x000D_
situations where the storage conditions of the blood sample fall outside optimal handling conditions, the quality_x000D_
of the samples is compromised, thereby decreasing the sensitivity and accuracy of biomarker analysis. We are_x000D_
proposing a novel system that entails nucleic acid binding polymers to stabilize RNA markers present in blood_x000D_
to prevent their degradation under non-optimal temperature and processing (time) conditions. It is envisioned_x000D_
that the blood samples treated with the stabilizing agents and subsequent analysis can be carried out without_x000D_
sample degradation. Upon successful completion of this project, our industrial partner Aquila Diagnostic_x000D_
Systems Inc. is expected to launch of the new blood collection system that will result in a new source of_x000D_
revenue and increase the job creation in Canada., agreement title english : Technology To Improve the Robustness of Diagnostic Assays, agreement title french : Technology To Improve the Robustness of Diagnostic Assays, agreement number : EGP, agreement value : 25000.0, agreement start date : 2018-03-07, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019)., additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier (2017-2018 à 2018-2019)., owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada