Crisanti:Projects

 Protein Microarrays as a high-throughput Tool for Serodiagnosis of Disease 

Protein microarrays, or protein chips, are miniaturized assay systems that allow the measurement of hundreds different analytes in a parallel and high throughput fashion. In addition, this technology is highly economical in the use of specimens and reagents and provides a rapid and accurate method for monitoring protein expression levels, detection and quantification of specific biomarkers, environmental and food safety analysis, etc. Therefore protein microarray technology is emerging as a powerful tool for proteomics and clinical diagnostics.

We have developed in our lab, an integrated microarray platform that consists of a multi-analyte coated microarray chip, an assay device and a dedicated analyser. We are currently developing and evaluating protein microarrays chips for the diagnosis of allergies, automimmune and infectious diseases.   Our main projects include:  1.	Measurement of auto antigen-specific antibodies in human serum using an array immunoassay. 2.	Development of a multiplex diagnostic system for the identification of microbial organisms. 3.	Development of an allergome microarray for detection of total repertoire of allergen-specific IgE in human serum. 4.	Typing of human pathogenic species with arrays of specific antibodies.  

Homing endonuclease genes as a gene drive system in Anopheles gambiae   Together with a number of other research groups our lab has engaged in a long-term effort to assess the potential of homing endonuclease genes (HEGs) as new tools for mosquito population engineering and control (gates foundation grand challenge #7). To achive this aim we will measure the homing frequency of natural HEGs in the main human malaria vector Anopheles gambiae. The long term goal is to engineer homing endonucleases against essential mosquitos genes and test their capability to spread, which could be used to put a genetic load on the population or to drive a refractory gene through the population. <BR><BR><BR>