Aptamers with protein-like side chains as a versatile tool for high-content proteomics
The power of measuring multiple proteins simultaneously
Proteins, encoded in 20,000 genes in humans, do much of the work in biology. Measuring proteins, which change in response to various perturbations and represent targets for almost all drugs, offers insights about the health status of an organism. Since proteins operate in complex networks rather than in isolation, measuring multiple proteins simultaneously offers richer insights compared to single protein measurements.
We have developed an affinity-reagent based method for highly multiplexed measurement of proteins in their native conformations in complex biological matrices. For this purpose, we use aptamers augmented with side chains that resemble amino acids overrepresented in protein-protein contacts, in conjunction with an assay that takes advantage of unique properties of these hybrid DNA-based affinity reagents. Being able to measure in excess of 10,000 proteins with high precision and sensitivity, we have gained insights into a variety of conditions including metabolic state, cardiovascular risk, glucose tolerance, and dementia risk. These reagents and assay represent versatile tools for multiple applications in biomedical research.
Nebojsa Janjic, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Standard BioTools
Prior to joining Standard BioTools, Dr. Janjic was the Founder and CSO of Replidyne, Inc., a biotechnology company focusing on the development of novel small-molecule antibacterial agents. He currently serves as an advisor and Chairman of the Board of Crestone, Inc., the successor company of Replidyne. Prior to Replidyne, he was among the initial group of scientists to join NeXagen, which later became NeXstar Pharmaceuticals. As the Senior Director of Drug Discovery at NeXstar, he was responsible for creating a pipeline of aptamer-based drug candidates for pre-clinical and clinical development. His contributions included the discovery and early development of Macugen, a first-in-class, FDA-approved treatment for macular degeneration that was named Innovative Pharmaceutical Product of the Year in 2005.
Dr. Janjic received his bachelor’s degree in molecular biology and doctorate in physical organic chemistry from the University of Washington in Seattle. He completed his postdoctoral training at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla as a Cancer Research Institute Fellow.
Aptamers with protein-like side chains as a versatile tool for high-content proteomics
A presentation by Nebojsa Janjic, PhD
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