Newsletter December 2021 – Using holographic data to shed light on cancer metastasis
As 2021 comes to a close, Cline would like to spotlight what's happening within Cline's cancer diagnostic project, CellRACE. This newsletter will provide updates on Cline's exciting work with new collaborators to bring AI-based analysis techniques to further drive the development of CellRACE.
Harnessing data to address cancer's biggest killer
The CellRACE project utilizes Cline's unique nanotechnology gradient to measure the migration behavior of tumor cells. CellRACE is being developed as an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) product to quantify the metastatic potential of tumor cells. Such a test would provide oncologists with a more accurate picture of the diagnosis and treatment, enabling better patient care and outcomes.
At the core of the product, cancer cells are exposed to a unique surface-bound nanogradient of biomolecules which have been shown to be crucial in eliciting a migration response from cells with metastatic potential. The cells’ movement and behavior are measured and analyzed. After Cline achieved promising results from earlier experiments, a new project has been recently initiated to develop cutting-edge data analysis for CellRACE, which will allow for fast, automated, and robust results.
Cline uses advanced holographic microscopy for monitoring live cancer cells. This technique means hundreds of cells can be tracked and studied in a non-disruptive and real-time manner, with many different cell parameters being measured and compared. The result is a massive amount of data being collected about each of the cells that are being tested. To tackle is, Cline is combining image analysis, cell tracking, and AI techniques such as machine learning to bring the data together to form a clear prediction of the cell metastatic potential.
What is Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning?
Artificial intelligence (AI) broadly refers to computer science techniques that imitate tasks and problem solving that typically require human intelligence. Many applications are within vision, learning, and decision-making. Many recent AI advances involve a subset of techniques called Machine Learning (ML), where algorithms and models can learn from data and improve. After being trained with data, the algorithms can then find patterns predictions.
Such techniques have been developed to carry out various tasks across different disciplines and industries. Within the healthcare, medicine, and pharmaceutical industry, there is a range of uses for AI in understanding disease, discovering new drugs as well as assisting in the diagnosis and treatment decisions. Many startups, hospitals, universities, and big players such as IBM, Apple, and Google are bringing AI techniques to solve healthcare challenges.
Given the power that AI and Machine Learning have in interpreting large amounts of data, finding patterns, and making predictions, it is a natural choice to bring into a project like CellRACE and will further strengthen the project.
Cancer and AI in the news
A growing number of AI-based products have emerged to solve real problems globally, and the area continues to grow rapidly. For example, within the cancer field, AI is being implemented across the patient journey. Examples included enabling earlier detection within radiology by using AI to analyze mammograms, within pathology where algorithms have been trained to analyze tissue slides better than humans, improving the healthcare system, and within drug discovery.
More and more products are becoming available for patients as they gain the necessary regulatory authorizations. Recently, the FDA granted marketing authorization to the first AI-based pathology software designed to assist pathologists in detecting prostate cancer in routinely stained slides. Similarly, in May 2021, Mindpeak received a CE-IVD mark for BreastIHC, an AI software that detects and quantifies breast cancer cells within immunohistochemically stained slides.
The goal of the analysis project
The analysis method project is now underway. Cline has begun working with experts in the field, and evaluating this process will happen in stages, with the first goal to reach a method that produces good results in differentiating cell behavior. This solution will be the next step in the product development and validation planned for 2022/23.
Such methods being developed will also later form part of the software competent of final CellRACE IVD product, which will predict the cancer metastasis from a patient sample.
The road ahead for CellRACE
The analysis method forms part of the overall CellRACE project and its pathway to becoming a marketed product.
Once the analytical method has been completed, the next milestone in the CellRACE development journey will consist of conducting a pilot proof of concept study. Following this, continued product development and final product design will be completed before conducting the necessary regulatory approval steps, such as a clinical performance evaluation.
On the note of looking towards the future, we at the Cline team wish you a safe and Happy Holidays, and we look forward to coming to you with more exciting news in 2022!
The Cline Team
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About Cline Scientific
Cline Scientific develops advanced cancer diagnostics and regenerative medicine treatments. The company is working heavily with R&D through joint collaborations with pharmaceutical companies and academic researchers around the world. The focus is on projects in the cancer diagnostic and stem cell therapy fields since Clines nanotechnology here provides unmet solutions to critical challenges and functions. The unique patented surface nanotechnology is used in cell-based products and processes to drive projects within Life Science into and through the clinical phase