Production of coatings based on recombinant proteins for the selective capture of circulating tumor cells aiming diagnostic purposes

• Grant number: 22/09966-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: September 01, 2022
• End date: August 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Chemical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Marisa Masumi Beppu
• Grantee: Eduarda Baggio Paglia
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Química (FEQ). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 20/12980-3 - Functionalization of microfabricated devices aiming at the selective capture of circulating tumor cells for diagnostic purposes, AP.TEM
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/08699-8 - Enhancing cancer detection: Developing a DNA Probe for electrode coating using Layer-by-Layer technique, BE.EP.DD

Abstract

Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide, with early detection and appropriatetherapy being the best alternatives to reduce the risk of mortality. Despite the recent advances ininvestigating biomarkers for early cancer detection, diagnosis strategies still lack improvements inthe selectivity for the capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and the detection method'ssensitivity. This proposal aims to establish a synergistic collaboration among three universities ofthe state of São Paulo (UNICAMP, USP, and UNIFESP), the Renato Archer InformationTechnology Center, and two international universities (University of Laval and MIT) to develop aplatform for the diagnosis of different types of cancer diseases based on CTCs detection. Theresearch team will explore microfabrication methods, recombinant protein biosynthesis, andsurface functionalization via Layer-by-Layer to create tridimensional electrodes for detectingprostate, breast, and thyroid cancer cell lineages. These techniques will enable the production offunctionalized, patterned surfaces bearing peptide sequences that interact with tumor cell integrins,enhancing the selective capture of CTCs from biological assays on impedance electrodes.Understanding the design rules for biological recognition of different CTCs lineages will demandan in-depth investigation of the factors affecting the cell adhesion process, such as the patternedsurface geometry, the film deposition parameters, and the affinity between the surfacemacromolecules and the cell surface. Overall, this proposal envisions establishing a proof-ofconceptplatform for CTCs detection, streamlining the clinical diagnose of tumoral diseases.

Scientific publications

(The scientific publications listed on this page originate from the Web of Science or SciELO databases. Their authors have cited FAPESP grant or fellowship project numbers awarded to Principal Investigators or Fellowship Recipients, whether or not they are among the authors. This information is collected automatically and retrieved directly from those bibliometric databases.)

PAGLIA, EDUARDA BAGGIO; DE FREITAS, GABRIELA PEREIRA; BALDIN, ESTELA KNOPP KERSTNER; PACHECO, JESUS E. CAMPOS; CARVALHO, HERNANDES F.; BEPPU, MARISA MASUMI; SABINO, G. MARCOS A.. Innovative approaches in alginate grafting: Amino acids of RGD peptide composition for biomimetic and biocompatible biomaterial. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, v. 322, p. 14-pg., 2025-09-01. (23/01660-6, 22/10053-3, 22/09966-4)

BALDIN, E. K. K.; FREITAS, G. P.; PAGLIA, E. B.; LONGHITANO, G. A.; NETO, J. B. M. ROCHA; CARVALHO, H. F.; BEPPU, M. M.. Polyelectrolyte multilayer films on Ti6Al4V electrodes: Influence of the number of bilayers for the capture of circulating tumor cells. SURFACES AND INTERFACES, v. 72, p. 9-pg., 2025-09-01. (22/10053-3, 23/01660-6, 22/09966-4)