The Promoting Equity in Stem Cell Genomics Survey.

Aim: This study aimed to determine knowledge and attitudes toward induced pluripotent stem cell technology and biobanking. Methods: A survey instrument was developed to determine individuals' knowledge of and attitudes toward these technologies. Results: Results from 276 ethnically diverse participants who took the online survey demonstrated significant associations (p ≤ 0. 05) in knowledge by ethnicity and race regarding properties of stem cells, different types of stem cells and previous sample donation behavior. Significantly more Whites 39% (n = 53) compared with Blacks or African-Americans 19.2% (n = 14) had previous knowledge of induced pluripotent stem cells (χ2 = 8.544; p = 0.003) Conclusion: Overall, White race was associated with greater knowledge about stem cells and biobanks and greater willingness to donate samples for future research.

Stem cell biobanks have few samples from minorities for genomic studies. We conducted an online survey to understand knowledge and attitudes toward stem cell biobanks and technologies. Overall, we learned that White race was associated with the greatest knowledge about stem cell biobanks and willingness to contribute tissue samples for biobanks. More education is required so that minorities are willing to contribute tissue samples toward stem cell biobanks. This will help researchers study the genomic bases of disease and pursue translational research toward addressing health inequities.

Low-temperature co-fired ceramic microchannels with individually addressable screen-printed gold electrodes on four walls for self-contained electrochemical immunoassays.

Microchannel devices were constructed from low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) materials with screen-printed gold (SPG) electrodes in three dimensions--on all four walls--for self-contained enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays with electrochemical detection. The microchannel confines the solution to a small volume, allowing concentration of electroactive enzymatically generated product and nearby electrodes provide high-speed and high-sensitivity detection: it also facilitates future integration with microfluidics. LTCC materials allow easy construction of three-dimensional structures compared with more traditional materials such as glass and polymer materials. Parallel processing of LTCC layers is more amenable to mass production and fast prototyping, compared with sequential processing for integrating multiple features into a single device. LTCC and SPG have not been reported previously as the basis for microchannel immunoassays, nor with integrated, individually addressable electrodes in three dimensions. A demonstration assay for mouse IgG at 5.0 ng/mL (3.3 × 10(-11) M) with electrochemical detection was achieved within a 1.8 cm long × 290 µm high × 130 µm wide microchannel (approximately 680 nL). Two of four SPG electrodes span the top and bottom walls and serve as the auxiliary electrode and the assay site, respectively. The other two (0.7 cm long × 97 µm wide) are centered lengthwise on the sidewalls of the channel. One serves as the working and the other as the pseudoreference electrode. The immunoassay components were immobilized at the bottom SPG region. Enzymatically generated p-aminophenol was detected at the internal working electrode within 15 s of introducing the enzyme substrate p-aminophenyl phosphate. A series of buffer rinses avoided nonspecific adsorption and false-positive signals.

iPSCs for personalized medicine: what will it take for Africa?

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are cutting edge biotechnology that may revolutionize medicine, and creating iPSCs from ethnically diverse individuals would generate valuable therapeutic and drug development tools. However, challenges must be overcome in creating the infrastructure and scientific capacity needed to pursue innovative, leapfrogging strategies to make iPSCs available in Africa.

Ethnically diverse pluripotent stem cells for drug development.

Genetic variation is an identified factor underlying drug efficacy and toxicity, and adverse drug reactions, such as liver toxicity, are the primary reasons for post-marketing drug failure. Genetic predisposition to toxicity might be detected early in the drug development pipeline by introducing cell-based assays that reflect the genetic and ethnic variation of the expected treatment population. One challenge for this approach is obtaining a collection of suitable cell lines derived from ethnically diverse populations. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) seem ideal for this purpose. They can be obtained from any individual, can be differentiated into multiple relevant cell types, and their self-renewal capability makes it possible to generate large quantities of quality-controlled cell types. Here, we discuss the benefits and challenges of using iPSCs to introduce genetic diversity into the drug development process.

Evaluation of screen-printed gold on low-temperature co-fired ceramic as a substrate for the immobilization of electrochemical immunoassays.

Screen-printed gold (SPG, Dupont gold conductor 5734) on low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) materials (Dupont dielectric tape 951, mostly composed of alumina and silica) has been demonstrated to be a substrate for electrochemical enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays. The effect of two different cleaning treatments and the extent of nonspecific adsorption on the SPG/LTCC and plain LTCC surfaces were also evaluated. LTCC materials hold promise for constructing a new generation of devices for microelectrochemical sensing and assays. Facile fabrication in three dimensions with integrated conducting elements makes them attractive. A standard sandwich immunoassay for a model analyte, mouse IgG, was used to evaluate the LTCC materials. After the assembly of components onto chips of SPG/LTCC and plain LTCC, p-aminophenol that was generated enzymatically by the enzyme label was detected electrochemically with a separate glassy carbon electrode. Cleaning SPG/LTCC with a piranha solution (7:1 vol/vol of concentrated H2SO4/30% H2O2), traditionally used for other gold surfaces prior to SAM assembly, resulted in a notable decrease in assay signal and an increase in nonspecific adsorption when compared to cleaning with water alone. Assay components assemble specifically on plain LTCC, with only a small percent attributed to NSA. Environmental scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveal the tremendous chemical heterogeneity and complexity of both SPG/LTCC and plain LTCC surfaces and aid in the explanation of assay results. A 10% acetate Tween bovine serum albumin solution and an ethanolic solution of 4 mM 1-butanol eliminate assay signals originating from plain LTCC. The outcomes of these studies can now be used to achieve miniaturized electrochemical immunoassays on LTCC materials where both plain and SPG surfaces are present.