Optimization and expansion of novel multiplexing qPCR technology (PCRchitectur) for disease diagnosis and prognosis
Lead supervisor: Professor Dame Molly M. Stevens
Co-supervisor: Dr Adam Creamer
Commercial partner: Signatur Biosciences
Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer worldwide, with 1 in 7 women in Europe developing breast cancer in their lifetime. The most common treatment path consists of surgery to remove the tumour followed by systemic endocrine therapy, and often adjuvant chemotherapy. The decision to start chemotherapy, however, is a difficult one. Chemotherapy severely impacts the quality of life for the patient, bringing debilitating and occasionally life-threatening side effects. Breast cancer prognostic tests have proven invaluable in determining the need for follow-up chemotherapy post-surgery, with most breast cancer patients safely able to forgo chemotherapy. However, the lack of test accessibility prevents wide clinical adoption.
SigBio aims to integrate the same clinical information as the current gold-standard into its platform technology to build a decentralized testing solution designed to be run in-house by any hospital lab. Signatur Biosciences' proprietary PCRchitectur technology offers a groundbreaking solution to the multiplexing limitations of classical qPCR, enabling the analysis of an expanded number of genes in a single PCR reaction. This not only drastically reduces the complexity and resource requirements of the test but also enables deployment in a wide range of clinical settings without the need for specialised equipment or high-level technical expertise.
The aim of this project would be to further reduce the number of separate PCR reactions required for this test to reduce the complexity for the end user, exploiting the full multiplexing capabilities of PCRchitectur. In addition, the project aims to further expand the PCRchitectur technology to enable mutation detection, facilitating a broader range of disease targets. This project would involve design and optimization of PCR reactions, manipulation of the PCRchitectur technology and implementation of a high-throughput dry and wet lab workflow that enables efficient testing of thousands of PCR reactions for kit optimization.
This collaborative PhD project offers a unique opportunity to strengthen the existing relationship between Signatur and the Stevens Group by embedding a researcher directly across both environments. It will serve as a bridge between the translational scientific innovation of an academic lab and the rigorously regulated, product-oriented environment of an early-stage biotech company.
Having a student embedded within the Stevens Group will enable Signatur Biosciences to tap into cutting-edge academic research, methodologies, and facilities that they do not currently possess in-house. This includes access to complementary characterisation techniques such as fluorescence platereaders and RNA integrity equipment, as well as bioengineering expertise developed within the Stevens Group, particularly in the context of qPCR and oncology.
The student will gain first-hand experience of the commercial and regulatory pathway that turns foundational science into a product. Signatur is starting the process of applying for regulatory approval for their lead prognostic test, and this project would expose the student to the industrial challenges of scaling, validation, and regulatory compliance (elements that are often underrepresented in academic training).
Apply using course: DPhil in Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics
