Dr. Philip Vernon, researcher in NAMRU-SA’s Immunodiagnostic and Bioassay Development Department utilizes a small (15 pound) and portable microplate reader to perform a primary immuno-typing test for white blood cell activity conventionally performed with a large (350 pound) hospital flow cytometer. Utilizing this repurposed and easily portable microplate reader brings immuno-typing one step closer to becoming practical in a combat environment. (Photo from NAMRU-SA Public Affairs)
Blog from Philip J. Vernon, Ph.D., Naval Medical Research Unit – San Antonio
Breakthroughs in high-throughput gene analytics and rapid testing are helping scientists and clinicians predict outcomes to therapeutic regimens in patients based on their specific phenotype in a variety of diseases. As the civilian medical community moves towards highly–individualized clinical care, research at the Naval Medical Research Unit – San Antonio (NAMRU-SA), is taking this approach one step further to address the critical needs in combat casualty care.
The incredibly evolved human immune system may be the ultimate tool in personalized care, and each of us possesses a sophisticated immune repertoire of tools to fight infections and promote wound-healing. We also know that the immune system of a warfighter in the combat theater is severely dysregulated in the event of trauma and hemorrhage.
Damaging immune responses are primary mediators of life and death in instances of injury, and clinical outcomes are largely determined by the magnitude of inflammation present, which is known to vary incredibly among individuals. That’s why determining a service member’s immune system’s capacity to respond to injury (immuno-typing) before an injury happens has the potential to be a profoundly invaluable tool for clinical decision-making.
We are utilizing sophisticated models of trauma and hemorrhage to determine our ability to predict outcomes using baseline immuno-typing. Simple tests already clinically-available are being evaluated for their utility in predicting both injury outcomes and responses to therapy.
Using samples no greater than a few hundred microliters of blood obtained during routine and non-invasive in-processing procedures, we can immuno-type an individual based on their white blood cells’ ability to respond to a naturally occurring stimulus in the laboratory.
The results, which vary from one individual to another, will allow us to stratify patients according to immuno-type. Those identified as “high responders” demonstrate an increased risk for inflammation and damaging pathology in response to trauma, and would need aggressive therapy. “Low-responders” may be able to avoid unneeded aggressive intervention which itself may be injurious. This translates into the appropriate triage and personalized application of therapy to treat wounded warriors.
Importantly, we also understand the necessity of transitioning expensive and complex fixed-facility capabilities into operationally-deployable settings. That is why in addition to using commercially-available hospital diagnostics to immuno-type individuals, we are also repurposing equipment to make these tests logistically possible in emergency medicine settings closer to combat theater.
For example, one of our primary immuno-typing tests is an assay for white blood cell activity conventionally performed with a hospital flow cytometer. The typically large (350 pound) flow cytometers are well suited for a fixed hospital setting, but in the combat theater it is bulky, expensive and immobile. We have successfully optimized a new procedure delivering the exact same measurements using a much smaller (15 pound) and less-expensive microplate reader. Utilizing the repurposed and easily portable microplate reader brings immuno-typing one significant step closer to becoming practical in a combat environment.
The exploration of immuno-typing is just another way NAMRU-SA remains at the cutting-edge of Navy Medicine research and fulfills our mission to improve the medical care of Navy and Marine Corps personnel in operational and combat environments.
from Armed with Science http://ift.tt/1QLIdZH
Dr. Philip Vernon, researcher in NAMRU-SA’s Immunodiagnostic and Bioassay Development Department utilizes a small (15 pound) and portable microplate reader to perform a primary immuno-typing test for white blood cell activity conventionally performed with a large (350 pound) hospital flow cytometer. Utilizing this repurposed and easily portable microplate reader brings immuno-typing one step closer to becoming practical in a combat environment. (Photo from NAMRU-SA Public Affairs)
Blog from Philip J. Vernon, Ph.D., Naval Medical Research Unit – San Antonio
Breakthroughs in high-throughput gene analytics and rapid testing are helping scientists and clinicians predict outcomes to therapeutic regimens in patients based on their specific phenotype in a variety of diseases. As the civilian medical community moves towards highly–individualized clinical care, research at the Naval Medical Research Unit – San Antonio (NAMRU-SA), is taking this approach one step further to address the critical needs in combat casualty care.
The incredibly evolved human immune system may be the ultimate tool in personalized care, and each of us possesses a sophisticated immune repertoire of tools to fight infections and promote wound-healing. We also know that the immune system of a warfighter in the combat theater is severely dysregulated in the event of trauma and hemorrhage.
Damaging immune responses are primary mediators of life and death in instances of injury, and clinical outcomes are largely determined by the magnitude of inflammation present, which is known to vary incredibly among individuals. That’s why determining a service member’s immune system’s capacity to respond to injury (immuno-typing) before an injury happens has the potential to be a profoundly invaluable tool for clinical decision-making.
We are utilizing sophisticated models of trauma and hemorrhage to determine our ability to predict outcomes using baseline immuno-typing. Simple tests already clinically-available are being evaluated for their utility in predicting both injury outcomes and responses to therapy.
Using samples no greater than a few hundred microliters of blood obtained during routine and non-invasive in-processing procedures, we can immuno-type an individual based on their white blood cells’ ability to respond to a naturally occurring stimulus in the laboratory.
The results, which vary from one individual to another, will allow us to stratify patients according to immuno-type. Those identified as “high responders” demonstrate an increased risk for inflammation and damaging pathology in response to trauma, and would need aggressive therapy. “Low-responders” may be able to avoid unneeded aggressive intervention which itself may be injurious. This translates into the appropriate triage and personalized application of therapy to treat wounded warriors.
Importantly, we also understand the necessity of transitioning expensive and complex fixed-facility capabilities into operationally-deployable settings. That is why in addition to using commercially-available hospital diagnostics to immuno-type individuals, we are also repurposing equipment to make these tests logistically possible in emergency medicine settings closer to combat theater.
For example, one of our primary immuno-typing tests is an assay for white blood cell activity conventionally performed with a hospital flow cytometer. The typically large (350 pound) flow cytometers are well suited for a fixed hospital setting, but in the combat theater it is bulky, expensive and immobile. We have successfully optimized a new procedure delivering the exact same measurements using a much smaller (15 pound) and less-expensive microplate reader. Utilizing the repurposed and easily portable microplate reader brings immuno-typing one significant step closer to becoming practical in a combat environment.
The exploration of immuno-typing is just another way NAMRU-SA remains at the cutting-edge of Navy Medicine research and fulfills our mission to improve the medical care of Navy and Marine Corps personnel in operational and combat environments.
from Armed with Science http://ift.tt/1QLIdZH
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