University of Birmingham researchers have received funding from Cancer Research UK and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to create ‘lollipops’ for mouth cancer diagnostics.
The team will use a biocompatible hydrogel, developed by Dr Ruchi Gupta and colleagues from the School of Chemistry, to diagnose mouth cancer in patients.
This hydrogel concentrates and labels proteins with a fluorescent marker in a single step, making it suitable for diagnostics that aim to detect low-abundance proteins from small sample sizes.
How does the hydrogel work?
The hydrogel captures protein via the fluorescent marker, which is attached to the hydrogel by a photocleavable bond.
When exposed to light, the protein, which is now attached to the flourescin, is released from the hydrogel.
Published last year, initial studies showed that the gel offered a concentration factor of 236 with a reference protein.
In addition, 50% of the proteins in the hydrogel were released after 100 seconds of exposure to UV light.
Benefits for mouth cancer diagnosis
Until now, biogels have been used for drug delivery and tissue regeneration.
Despite this, the gel offers distinct benefits over existing diagnostic techniques for mouth cancer.
This is because it has fewer steps than ELISA-based assays or preconcentration using beads and electrophoresis. It can also be conducted at room temperature.
The gel’s biocompatibility means it can be used either in vitro or directly on patients, as with the current project, which aims to replace current invasive and time-consuming diagnostic procedures.
Next steps for the research
Cancer Research Horizons has now filed a patent application for the new hydrogel.
The team are seeking collaborators or partners to develop further applications.
Dr Ruchi Gupta, Associate Professor of Biosensors at the University of Birmingham, said: “Smart hydrogels have really exciting potential for diagnosing mouth cancer.
“They can be easily moulded into shapes as a solid to ‘catch’ proteins in saliva, and we’re hoping that we can be the first to make a device which is much kinder for diagnosing mouth cancer for patients and easier for GPs to use.
“Beyond this project, we’re keen to investigate other possibilities for the hydrogel, and will welcome approaches from research or commercial organisations who want to collaborate on research or commercialisation.”
