Cell line contamination and misidentification have dramatic repercussions in the field biomedical research, largely contributing to the growing concerns about irreproducible results and posing a significant burden on the global biomedical research budget. While the general awareness about these issues has raised over the last years, current authentication technologies such as short tandem repeat (STR) profiling are often labor intensive, slow, costly and not suited for cancer cell lines, which make it very difficult to reliably and continuously monitor human cell cultures. Profiling single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) would provide a good alternative to STR for monitoring cancer cell cultures, SNPs being less affected by genomic instabilities than STR markers. NuProbe?s blocker displacement amplification (BDA) technology uniquely enables multiplexed rare allele enrichment by PCR. Building upon NuProbe?s BDA technology, we propose to develop a series of highly multiplexed and highly sensitive qPCR-based SNP profiling assays to detect intra-species cross-contaminants present in human cell cultures at low levels (down to 1%). We anticipate these assays to translate into rapid, cost effective, reliable, and easy-to-use cell line contamination detection kits compatible with commonly available qPCR instruments.

Public Health Relevance

The goal of the project is to develop new kits for detecting low levels of cross-contaminations in human cell cultures and prevent contamination from leading to irreproducible research results or incorrect scientific conclusions. Current technologies are often labor intensive, slow, costly, and/or not suited for cancer cell lines. Building upon NuProbe?s proprietary technology, we propose to develop rapid, cost effective, reliable, and easy-to-use cell line contamination detection kits that will be compatible with commonly used laboratory instruments.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Small Business Innovation Research Grants (SBIR) - Phase II (R44)
Project #
4R44AG061957-02
Application #
9991311
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Guo, Max
Project Start
2018-09-30
Project End
2021-02-28
Budget Start
2019-09-01
Budget End
2020-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2019
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Nuprobe USA, Inc.
Department
Type
DUNS #
081085522
City
Cambridge
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
02140