Body fluids like tears, sweat, urine and serum contain many thousands of small organic molecules, and
these metabolites give us a rich, easily accessible view of our day-to-day health. However, metabolites
are hard to deal with — each metabolite is biochemically distinct, and it is impossible to easily amplify
them. The current tools available to analyse metabolites are very powerful but extremely costly — in
research and in diagnostics, mass spectrometry is widely regarded as the gold standard, but its use is
limited by the requirement of a dedicated facility and highly trained technicians.
Currently based out of the University of Toronto, we have invented a novel technology to address these
limitations and make metabolite detection more accessible. Our multiplexed, barcoded assay comprise of
sensors that each releases a unique DNA sequence or ‘barcode’ when they see their ligands — by reading
these released barcodes, we can detect hundreds of metabolites in parallel in a single sample and even in the
minute quantities present in single cells.
Our pitch for UTEST Investor Day 2021
