Precision Medicine Diagnostics Using Fluorescent Imaging Technology
Dr. Sang-Yeob Kim
ASAN Medical Center/ TheraNovis CO., Ltd.
Precise detection and analysis of biomarkers are essential for early diagnosis of diseases and personalized treatment. Fluorescence imaging technology, with its inherently high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), enables the capture of ultra-low-abundance signals and has become a cornerstone of high-sensitivity biomarker analysis. Digital ELISA and Multiplex IHC, the latest precision medicine diagnostic methods utilizing fluorescence imaging technology, are being actively employed across the spectrum from basic research to translational applications.
Digital ELISA is a technology that overcomes the sensitivity limitations of conventional immunoassays (ELISA) using a single-molecule counting method. By digitizing the fluorescent signal of a single antigen-antibody complex in thousands of micro-wells using an on/off method, biomarkers present in extremely low concentrations in blood can be quantified down to the fg/mL level. While conventional technologies can only diagnose diseases after they have progressed owing to detection limits, Digital ELISA enables the detection of biomarkers in the early stages of disease, dramatically improving the accuracy of liquid biopsy. In a complementary manner, Multiplex IHC technology, used in tissue pathology, provides information on cellular phenotypes and spatial locations by simultaneously imaging multiple protein markers on a single tissue section. This enables a three-dimensional analysis of the complex structure of the tumor microenvironment (TME), including the expression status of specific proteins and the distances and interactions between cells. In particular, it provides information that cannot be obtained using conventional single-marker analysis methods, such as predicting the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors or analyzing complex disease mechanisms.
Herein, we discuss how these fluorescence
imaging-based technologies are advancing the diagnostic accuracy for
intractable conditions, including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, and
propose future directions for integrated diagnostic platforms for
patient-tailored precision medicine.
**This seminar will be conducted in Korean.
