The team published its research findings in this month's edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Zhang was lead author of the paper. According to the researchers, their technique involves coaxing an enzyme and an antibody to interact through another molecule called a promoter. When the antibody locates a targeted protein, it triggers the promoter to alert the enzyme. The enzyme creates a signal, kind of like an alarm system.
Researchers can then screen other molecules for that signal.
Using the technology may allow for earlier detection of cancer, the researchers said. Greene said the team used IDAT to identify a protein marker for breast cancer at a resolution up to nine times more powerful than conventional techniques. If we were discussing computers, we would taking about the difference between bytes and gigabytes. The researchers believe the technology may enable doctors to routinely screen blood samples for all kinds of early disease indicators, and get results to patients within hours instead of days or even weeks. Tumors, for example, often shed particular proteins at an early stage and the sooner you can detect the proteins, the sooner you can treat the cancer.