Curing the Incurable
Cardiovascular diseases and cancer are responsible for 38 percent and 28 percent respectively of all deaths in Canada. More than two percent of Canadian deaths result from diabetes and its complications. And more than 202,000 Canadians currently suffer from Alzheimer's with the number expected to rise to 750,000 by the year 2030, due to our aging population.
These diseases and many others are characterized by the development of heterogeneous tissues in which cells are different from normal cells and from each other. To understand the molecular mechanisms that result in these diseases, scientists need to know the biological and chemical properties of such cells. Unfortunately, traditional methods have not been adequate to allow researchers to isolate and examine individual cells.
Dr. Sergey Krylov, in collaboration with Dr. N.J. Dovichi, has addressed this shortcoming with the development of a new bioanalytical technique that can analyze the chemical content of a single cell. The technique is called chemical cytometry and involves the injection of a single cell into a tiny capillary where its components can be separated and identified using electrophoresis and laser-induced fluorescence detection. Combining this process with different types of microscopic techniques allows researchers to probe both the chemical and biological properties of a single cell.
As the Canada Research Chair in Bioanalytical Chemistry, Dr. Krylov is using this new research tool to study stem cells. He wants to learn how to control their division and differentiation. His work is expected to lead to techniques for tissue regeneration in damaged organs. He is also developing a new strategy for drug engineering to treat severe diseases, at the molecular level, by creating a new type of molecules called smart aptamers that bind to a target molecule and modify its activity. In addition, Dr. Krylov is creating a new research structure at York, the Institute for New Strategies In Drug Engineering (INSIDE), to guide these innovations in medical research.