Press Release: Improving cancer diagnosis and treatment monitoring with GLAM project
There is nothing very glamorous about cancer, but now a new EU-funded project – GLAM – aims to help make monitoring and diagnosis a bit less intrusive and unpleasant.
Barcelona, 9th of July 2015
The project Glass-Laser Multiplexed Biosensor, GLAM for short, will use groundbreaking technology to develop a device that is a step towards truly personalized medicine. The photonic-based point-of-care device will help oncologists make better treatment decisions according to the patient’s needs in a non-invasive manner for cancer diagnosis. Click to tweet http://ctt.ec/Pd0bJ
“Most cancer biopsies must be analyzed in specialized laboratories, which involves high costs and long waiting periods, as they require specialised personnel and equipment,†says Izabel Alfany, project coordinator. “There is therefore a real need and urgency to have new devices that provide diagnosis, prognosis, and data monitoring faster and with exceptional ultra-sensitivity,†says Francesc Mitjans research project director at Leitat Technological Centre.
Specifically, GLAM will design and develop a new diagnostic tool to detect biomarkers from biofluids obtained in a non-invasive manner, focusing on urine and genitourinary cancers. The project will develop an integrated device based on novel label-free photonic biosensors with ultra-sensitivity, simplicity of use, portability, multiplexing and low cost.
Elena MartÃnez, senior researcher at IBEC says: “The device will make use of the unprecedented sensitivity that can be achieved using laser micro-ring resonators – devices using the same principle as a whispering gallery, but with light instead of sound.â€
Last, the unique GLAM technology will have the potential to be used with other types of biofluids, opening the way to the diagnosis and monitoring of other kinds of cancer and many more diseases.
Background
The GLAM project involves over a 4-year period recognized organisations from all over Europe: Leitat (project coordinator), IBEC, and ICFO (ES), the University of Twente and Radboud University Medical Center (NL), WizSoft (IL), the Université Libre de Bruxelles and Obelis S.A. (BE), Novelic (SB), Optocap (UK).
More info on http://glam-project.eu and @GLAMprojectEU
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 634928.
Press contact
Izabel Alfany
ialfany@leitat.org
+34 93 788 23 00
Disclaimer
This publication reflects only the author’s views and that the European Union is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.