Molecular Profiling of Head Impact Exposure to Identify Signatures of Injury and Recovery
There is clinical need for developing point-of-care technology platforms for integrating a new panel of microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers comprising RNA that could help rapidly predict patient outcome after SAH and identify patients who are most at risk for vasospasm after hemorrhagic stroke; therefore, preventing a secondary injury from occurring.
This project aims to design and prototype an instrument that can perform isolation of RNA from patient plasma samples, reverse transcription, amplification (PCR) and detection by capillary electrophoresis. Basically, all the steps necessary for sample processing, from cell lysis to detection of specific miRNAs responsible for aSAH, will be integrated into one microfluidic cartridge platform.