An international team of researchers from Adelaide and the United States has engineered bacteria capable of detecting mutated DNA released from colorectal cancer cells, opening the door to faster disease detection.
Led by Dr Dan Worthley, Associate Professor Susan Woods and Dr Josephine Wright from SAHMRI and the University of Adelaide, in partnership with Professor Jeff Hasty at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), the study was published today in the prestigious journal, Science.
The team engineered bacteria called Acinetobacter baylyi (A. baylyi), which is known for its ability to sample and integrate DNA from its environment. Researchers leveraged this natural competence to detect the mutated KRAS gene, an important driver of colorectal cancer.
A/Prof Woods says they dubbed this technology ‘CATCH’, which stands for, Cellular Assay of Targeted CRISPR-discriminated Horizontal gene transfer.
“CATCH has the potential to detect bowel cancer early with the aim of preventing more people from dying of this and other cancers,” she said.
“This study demonstrates how bacteria can be designed to detect specific DNA sequences to diagnose disease in hard-to-reach places.”
In preclinical testing, the team found that the sensor bacteria were 100% accurate in differentiating between models with and without colorectal cancer.
“We were thrilled to see transfer of DNA from the tumour to the sensor bacteria,” A/Prof Woods said.
“This shows that our biosensing system can be used to catch colorectal cancer DNA within a complex ecosystem.”
Dr Dan Worthley says potential applications of the technology extend beyond cancer.
“In the future we will detect and prevent many diseases, including bowel cancer, with cells, not drugs,” he said.
“We hope that this invention, of life detecting life, will be useful for clinicians, scientists and engineers to help the community wherever and whenever DNA detection is important.”.
While further studies are needed before progressing to clinical trials, researchers are confident this latest discovery represents a significant advance in the field of living diagnostics while setting the stage for the timely and accurate delivery of targeted treatments.
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Blister management and impact on firefighters
David Burns, a Senior Paramedic with LifeAid, a private paramedicine company in Victoria and, has a diverse background in healthcare. He began his career as a registered nurse, progressing to critical care nursing specialising in liver transplants and cardiovascular surgery.
At the Australasian College of Paramedicine International Conference, David presented research focused on the foot care of firefighters during prolonged bushfire campaigns. During the 2019-2020 bushfires, over 10,000 firefighters sought care, with nearly 50% requiring attention for foot-related issues. David emphasised that inadequate foot care could bench firefighters for up to 10 days, diminishing their ability to protect communities and critical infrastructure. Recognising the economic benefits of prioritising firefighter health, David advocates that ensuring their well-being allows communities to recover effectively and enhances safety for all involved in firefighting efforts.
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Leukaemia microenvironment & high risk childhood leukaemia
Associate Professor Laurence Cheung is now an Associate Professor at the Curtin Medical School as well as Curtin Medical Research Institute, and a Co-head of the Leukaemia Translational Research Laboratory at The Kids.
He has attracted over $8.7 million in research funding, including 16 awards as CIA (over $6.1 million). Assoc Prof Cheung was named the 2019 Cancer Council of WA Early Career Cancer Researcher of the Year and received the STEM Early Career Research Award at Curtin University in 2019.
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Dr James Pang
DR JAMES PANG, RESEARCH FELLOW
TURNER INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN AND MENTAL HEALTH, MONASH UNIVERSITY
VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
