Difference between revisions of "Team:Hong Kong HKU/Description"

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<h1>Description: Ideas and General Concepts </h1>  
 
<h1>Description: Ideas and General Concepts </h1>  
 
<h3> <b>Design Inspiration<b/> </h3>
 
<h3> <b>Design Inspiration<b/> </h3>
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<p><b>Before we discuss the design of our project, we would like to discuss here why we have chosen to DNA nanotechnology to detect Huntington’s disease</b></p>  
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<h4><b>Before we discuss the design of our project, we would like to discuss here why we have chosen to DNA nanotechnology to detect Huntington’s disease</b></h4>  
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<p> Our aim is to design a novel DNA nanostructure that can detect multiple miRNA targets simultaneously. We hope that our design can discriminate a single base mutation of the target miRNAs. Hence, it can be highly specific to our targets and avoid false positives. Our goal is clear - we aim to design a tool which can possibly detect a combination of biomarkers and enhance the sensitivity of detecting a particular type of cancer</p>
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<h4>Huntington’s Disease</h4>
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<p>Recently, in vitro applications of DNA nanostructure have already achieved point-of-care (POC) diagnosis. Therefore, we hope to move from in vitro to in vivo by developing a self-assembled DNA nanostructure that can potentially target miRNAs in vivo. Detecting serum miRNA can be challenging because of the low serum miRNA level, so methods such as quantitative polymerase chain reaction are used to amplify the target miRNAs before detecting them. We hope that our DNA nanostructure, which is synthesized and assembled in vivo, can potentially eliminate the need of target amplification. In addition, our design has an advantage over the current designs of molecular beacon. Molecular beacon makes use of fluorophores and quenchers, which cannot be synthesized in vivo. Our design does not require the use of fluorophore and quencher and thus can work well inside cells. In addition, our DNA nanostructure can be produced at a lower cost as fluorophore and quencher are not used.</p> 
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<h1> Progress</h1>
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<p>Our design is a 3-dimensional structure that can be self-assembled from oligonucleotides. Our aim is to construct a nanostructure that is able to detect multiple miRNA biomarkers such that it can reach a higher accuracy for diagnosis. For the selection of biomarkers, we are looking for a combination of miRNAs that are specific to a certain type of diseases such as Huntington's disease and cancer. At the current stage, we are testing different designs in vitro to see if they can produce desired signals. After proving our designs can work in vitro, we will attempt to test them in vivo. Finally, we will design a mechanism such that E. coli can synthesize the required oligonucleotides to form the specified nanostructure. </p>
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<p>Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that results in the death of brain cells. Genetic mutations, namely the trinucleotide repeats in the Huntingtin gene (HTT) located on Chromosome 4, lead to the development of HD.1  Though the disease is incurable, early diagnosis can help to better relieve symptoms by allowing treatments to start sooner. In the early stages of HD, only subtle changes in personality, cognitive and physical abilities can be identified. </p>
  
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<h4>Early Diagnosis of Huntington's disease</h4>
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<p>Diagnosis of HD (in cases where the parents do not have HD) is usually carried out only after symptoms are identified and the patient approaches the medical professionals. As the early symptoms are generally not severe enough to be recognized as HD symptoms on their own, the treatment is usually delayed. Although commercially available RT-PCR arrays for Huntington’s disease gene targets do exist, they tend to be time-consuming and require a level of lab expertise. According to the interviews conducted with the medical workers using various diagnostics tools, their primary concerns were the accuracy of the test and the ease of use <b> (add a link to survey  here)</b>. We hope to allow prompt treatment with our non-invasive and highly accessible diagnostic method.
  
  

Revision as of 14:56, 27 October 2017

Description: Ideas and General Concepts

Design Inspiration

Before we discuss the design of our project, we would like to discuss here why we have chosen to DNA nanotechnology to detect Huntington’s disease

Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that results in the death of brain cells. Genetic mutations, namely the trinucleotide repeats in the Huntingtin gene (HTT) located on Chromosome 4, lead to the development of HD.1 Though the disease is incurable, early diagnosis can help to better relieve symptoms by allowing treatments to start sooner. In the early stages of HD, only subtle changes in personality, cognitive and physical abilities can be identified.

Early Diagnosis of Huntington's disease

Diagnosis of HD (in cases where the parents do not have HD) is usually carried out only after symptoms are identified and the patient approaches the medical professionals. As the early symptoms are generally not severe enough to be recognized as HD symptoms on their own, the treatment is usually delayed. Although commercially available RT-PCR arrays for Huntington’s disease gene targets do exist, they tend to be time-consuming and require a level of lab expertise. According to the interviews conducted with the medical workers using various diagnostics tools, their primary concerns were the accuracy of the test and the ease of use (add a link to survey here). We hope to allow prompt treatment with our non-invasive and highly accessible diagnostic method.