Molecular medicine holds promise for advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment if biomarkers can be accurately assessed in tumors. The objective of the project is to develop and test a new biopsy system that stabilizes the target tissue and prevent changes in biomarker levels. The specific objectives of the Phase I project are: 1. to develop tissue harvesting mechanism for the new biopsy device 2. test the cutting performance of the mechanism 3. test tissue harvesting performance of the device in an animal model 4. compare molecular profile of samples obtained with the new device with samples obtained with standard devices. The expected product at the end of the Phase I project is a prototype device that enables tissue harvesting during a biopsy procedure with minimal effect on the biomolecular profile of the cells. A biopsy device that preserves the tissue morphology and stabilizes the biomolecular profile of the cells in the sample is expected to find a wide market and used in many organs. Such a device can facilitate the clinical use of many biomolecular markers that are currently limited to research, to improve the management of patients by the use of individualized therapy that targets the specific characteristics of the tumor in each patient.
