Laboratory tests are being used around the world for diagnosing cardiac diseases and estimating the risk for adverse cardiac events. However, these tests are not optimal and tests with better clinical specificity and sensitivity are needed to improve patient care. At the Cardiac Biomarker Laboratory, we aim to develop laboratory tests for novel cardiac biomarkers that will have significant impact on how cardiac diseases are diagnosed and treated.   

The Cardiac Biomarker Laboratory of the Biotechnology Unit at the Department of Life Technologies is focused on developing highly sensitive immunoassays for novel cardiac biomarkers and investigating the clinical use of these biomarkers for diagnosis and risk prediction of cardiac diseases. The group, led by Assistant Professor Saara Wittfooth, applies the innovative label technologies developed at the Biotechnology Unit to develop unique assays that are not available in any other laboratory (examples of such assays are the assays for long cardiac troponin T, free PAPP-A and cardiac troponin autoantibodies). The work includes developing immunoassays in various platforms by designing antibody combinations and optimizing assay conditions and procedures. The work involves close collaboration with cardiologists around the world. 

Lately the research of the Laboratory has been focused on different forms of cardiac troponins. Tests for cardiac troponins (cardiac troponin I and cardiac troponin T, cTnT) are widely used for diagnosing myocardial infarction around the world. However, the high sensitivity troponin tests that are currently used in the hospitals produce elevated results also in many other situations than myocardial infarction (such as impaired kidney function, atrial fibrillation, severe infections, strenuous physical exercise). Therefore, there is a high demand for a more specific diagnostic test for myocardial infarction. We have developed in the Cardiac Biomarker Laboratory a novel simple immunoassay-based test that detects only the long forms of cTnT, while the tests being used at hospitals detect the long and short forms of cTnT. Our first studies have shown very promising results, as the long cTnT test was able to differentiate between myocardial infarction patients and end-stage renal disease patients much better than the troponin test currently in use at hospitals.  

Another research topic gaining more interest after a while in the Cardiac Biomarker Laboratory is the cardiac troponin autoantibodies (cTnAAb). cTnAAb, which have been found in the blood of myocardial infarction patients but also in healthy individuals, can cause negative interference in immunoassays by masking the epitopes of the assay antibodies. An assay to detect cTnAAb in patient samples was previously developed in the Laboratory. Lately there has been increasing interest in the scientific community towards macrotroponins, circulating complexes of troponins and cTnAAb, which may cause positive interference due to reduced clearance. We are now interested in examining macrotroponins with the available cTnAAb assay as well as with other methods in various patient groups.