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2 October 2025

New Process Enhances Detection of Breast Cancer Biomarker HER2

New Process Enhances Detection of Breast Cancer Biomarker HER2

A research team from CICECO-Institute of Materials of Aveiro and the Department of Chemistry, composed of researchers Mara Guadalupe Freire Martins, Maria Silvina Marques Mendes, Ana Francisca Silva, from UA, in collaboration with Virginia Chu, from INESC-MN, developed an innovative process for the pre-treatment of human serum, which leads to improvements in the detection of the biomarker human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2).

This approach is crucial for breast cancer monitoring, since HER2 analysis in human serum plays a central role in disease management. The devices employed in this process can be used in point-of-care settings, enabling rapid and efficient analysis at the patient’s side, which facilitates faster diagnosis and more effective follow-up.

“This invention aims to address several critical challenges in breast cancer detection and monitoring,” the researchers state. “First, it seeks to overcome the limitations of conventional analytical methods, which are often affected by the presence of abundant proteins in human serum. These proteins significantly interfere with the accurate detection of low-concentration biomarkers such as HER2.”

By addressing this limitation, the invention tackles the lack of sensitivity and specificity that is common in the detection of biomarkers in complex clinical samples. The technology allows for a rapid, cost-effective, and accessible diagnosis, which is particularly relevant in clinical contexts where time and resources are limited.

This innovation was developed within the scope of the project PTDC/EMD-TLM/3253/2020: “Integration of human fluid pre-treatment and tumor biomarker detection using aqueous biphasic systems formed by ionic liquids in microfluidic devices”, funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).

Given the innovative potential of this technology, a provisional patent application has already been submitted through UACOOPERA at the University of Aveiro, followed by a European application. As the first 12 months since filing are still ongoing, protection in additional territories remains possible.

Original article extracted and translated from University of Aveiro: https://www.ua.pt/pt/noticias/9/92708 

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