The potential utility of aptamers as a tool to detect pathogens

In todays world of pathogen diagnostics, there is always a need for faster, cheaper and more robust tests. Most current tests on the market use molecular or antibody-based detection methods. Antibody tests may include point-of-use tests such as a lateral flow assay or a lab based test such as ELISA. Molecular methods are generally relegated to the lab due to the necessary hardware and sample prep that is associated with them.

In the early 1990's, Gold and Tuerk as well as Ellington and Szostak both independently observed that nucleic acids could bind to proteins. The process to create these nucleic acid "Aptamers" was coined "SELEX" for Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment - it was off to the races to begin creation of nucleic acids for a variety of targets. SELEX was patented by Dr. Larry Gold in 1995.

20 years later, SELEX is now off patent and available to researchers worldwide. In this talk, we will discuss Aptamers, the SELEX process, SELEX variants and the advantages and disadvantages of Aptamers over conventional antibody and molecular assays.