Technology.

Non-invasive screening test for preventive healthcare.

At Aqsens Health we focus on developing screening tests for diseases that are hard to diagnose, and diseases where the benefit of an early diagnosis is the biggest. We are currently working intensively on tests for urinary tract cancers and high-impact infectious diseases. 

We are also continuously adding more tests to our development pipeline and conducting research projects with highly merited scientific institutes and their researchers. You can read more about the E-TRF method and our phage-based biosensor below. 

Time-resolved fluorescence.

Time-Resolved Fluorescence (TRF) uses fluorescence lifetime to gain information about a molecule or its molecular environment.

As fluorescence’s lifetime is characteristic for each fluorescent molecule and also influenced by the chemical composition of its environment, it can be used to characterize a sample.

When the natural background fluorescence is eliminated, the sample’s fluorescence can be used to deliver highly accurate information about its molecular environment. Aqsens Health’s proprietary invention E-TRF enhances this unique capability even further.

Time-resolved fluorescence. TRF. Enhanced time-resolved fluorescence. Fluorescence lifetime.

Forming a disease fingerprint.

The E-TRF fingerprint is formed from a combination of several chemical modulators that have been measured at the same time and in the same sample. The selection of proper modulators is performed using AQH’s proprietary reverse screening process together with our large modulator library.

In E-TRF, each modulator affects the strength of the lanthanide’s luminescence signal in the samples in different ways. When the same modulators are used one at a time in a sample together with the lanthanide label, and then measured with TRF, the different luminescence signal strengths created by the modulators form a unique luminescence signal profile for each sample – the sample’s fingerprint.

Increasing specificity with phage-based biosensors.

In order to further increase the specificity of the measurements or to classify disease severity, the E-TRF method applies bacteriophages. This is done by modifying the phages’ binding sites to build the phages’ affinity for both dye molecules or quenchers, and biomarkers. This creates a situation in which the color molecules and biomarkers compete over the same binding site. This programming is done through a proprietary biopanning process.

When the phages bind either to the color dye molecule or disease specific biomarkers, the color intensity of the sample changes respectively. These color intensity changes can be measured both with a standard TRF-reader or with a smartphone using the AQ MOBI platform and application software. These color reaction changes form the basis for full mobility.

More information: Kulpakko, Juusti, Rannikko & Hänninen. 2022. Detecting disease associated biomarkers by luminescence modulating phages.

AQ Lab

Web based development platform that enables the discovery of new biomarkers

Aqsens Health’s AQ Lab platform enables users to perform high-quality research using the company’s E-TRF and biosensor technologies.

The AQ Lab platform guides a user step-by-step through Aqsens Health’s biosensor and chemical sensor development protocols and evaluations. The platform helps in understanding Aqsens Health’s methodology and is designed to be used while performing laboratory work.

The built-in checks ensure that all parts of the development framework are completed according to Aqsens Health’s procedures and standards. The platform also includes integrated analysis tool that help in evaluating sensor functionality and assay results.

The development process includes several stages, which are all explained and detailed in the AQ Lab software platform:

  • Sample preparation

  • Biosensor development

  • Chemical sensor discovery

  • Performance optimization

  • Assays with chemical- or biosensor

  • Remote support from Aqsens’ team throughout all the different stages of development

The beta testing for AQ Lab was completes in December 2023, and the platform will first become available for Aqsens Health’s research partners.