RIKEN researchers have demonstrated a method that can detect tiny amounts of biomarkers in liquid samples and can distinguish between highly similar biomarkers. This promises to boost the versatility and usefulness of liquid biopsies. The results are published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Liquid biopsies are powerful tools for research and diagnosis since they can detect minute amounts of biomarkers in blood, saliva and urine. In particular, they are often used to detect enzymes that are connected to diseases.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, liquid biopsies attracted unprecedented attention as a diagnostic method for infectious diseases,” notes Rikiya Watanabe of the RIKEN Molecular Physiology Laboratory. “As a result, the effectiveness of liquid biopsies is now being recognized for both testing for infectious diseases but also for a wide range of medical diagnostics.”