Chemistry professors' patent detects amino acid linked to M.S., rheumatoid arthritis, cancer
More than a decade of work by two University of Wisconsin-Stout Polytechnic faculty members and their student researchers has led to a newly patented process that allows for the easy detection of an amino acid linked to multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and potentially cancer.
Two University of Wisconsin-Stout faculty members, biochemistry professor Jennifer Grant and chemistry professor Dmitry Kadnikov, have been awarded a patent for a groundbreaking method to easily detect an amino acid called citrulline. This discovery could help in identifying autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and potentially cancer.
Citrulline is a small modification that adds just one hydrogen atom to a protein, making it difficult to detect with existing chemical probes. The new process involves attaching a small, sensitive probe to citrulline, followed by adding an interchangeable detection tag. This tag can be customized as an antigen, nanoparticle, or fluorescent tag, making the method adaptable for various research needs.
The process, which took over a decade to develop, was made possible by the collaboration between Grant and Kadnikov, along with the assistance of numerous UW-Stout Polytechnic students. The patent process took nearly three years, but the researchers are optimistic about the invention's potential to benefit scientists worldwide studying autoimmune diseases and other related conditions.
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