Team 24
Viable Vials: Electrochemical Sensor for Monitoring Molecular Quality of Tissue Samples
Team Members: Claudia Fragoso, Tyler Grenier, Abigail Hanson, Nandini Sharma - SBHSE
Team Mentors: Dr. Nongjian Tao - ECEE
Dr. Carolyn Compton, MD, PhD – SOLS & Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine
YouTube Link: View the video link below before joining the zoom meeting
Zoom Link: https://asu.zoom.us/j/97139720808
Abstract
A major challenge with tissue samples used for biopsies is the ability to monitor their molecular quality before diagnostic testing. When tissue is resected from a patient, the cells are removed from their blood supply and normal temperature-controlled environment, which causes significant biological stress. As a result, the molecular composition and integrity undergo significant change. Currently, there is no method to track the effects of these artifactual stresses on the sample tissue to determine any deviations from the actual patient physiology. Without a way to track these changes, pathologists have to blindly trust that the tissue samples they are given are of high quality and fit for molecular analysis; physicians use the analysis to make diagnoses and treatment plans based on the assumption that the samples are valid. This means that 3 million patients each year may be at risk of being misdiagnosed or mismanaged due to artifactual data from a compromised tissue sample that does not accurately reflect the biology of their disease. Pathology labs also unnecessarily analyze samples which are no longer viable, wasting both time and money on tests costing up to $5,000 per sample. To meet this unresolved need, our team is developing an electrochemical sensor that can measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from samples, which can then be utilized to interpret the molecular quality of those biopsy tissues. Housed within the lid of a biopsy container, this FDA Class I device uses a metal oxide sensor that continuously quantifies the compounds within a range of 0-60,000 ppb. It is a portable device that also tracks the temperature of the sample and gives a warning signal when the sample is beginning to reach a threshold of degradation. Overall, our device aims to decrease the incidence of misdiagnosis and reinforce the trust between providers and patients.
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