Percorrer por autor "Schmitt, Fernando"
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- Invisible for a few but essential for many: the role of Histotechnologists in the establishment of digital pathologyPublication . Magalhães, Gisela; Calisto, Rita; Freire, Catarina; Silva, Regina; Montezuma, Diana; Canberkg, Sule; Schmitt, FernandoDigital pathology (DP) is indisputably the future for histopathology laboratories. The process of digital implementation requires deep workflow reorganisation which involves an interdisciplinary team. This transformation may have the greatest impact on the Histotechnologist (HTL) profession. Our review of the literature has clearly revealed that the role of HTLs in the establishment of DP is being unnoticed and guidance is limited. This article aims to bring HTLs from behind-the-scenes into the spotlight. Our objective is to provide them guidance and practical recommendations to successfully contribute to the implementation of a new digital workflow. Furthermore, it also intends to contribute for improvement of study programs, ensuring the role of HTL in DP is addressed as part of graduate and post-graduate education. In our review, we report on the differences encountered between workflow schemes and the limitations observed in this process. The authors propose a digital workflow to achieve its limitless potential, focusing on the HTL’s role. This article explores the novel responsibilities of HTLs during specimen gross dissection, embedding, microtomy, staining, digital scanning, and whole slide image quality control. Furthermore, we highlight the benefits and challenges that DP implementation might bring the HTLs career. HTLs have an important role in the digital workflow: the responsibility of achieving the perfect glass slide.
- New Quantum-Dot-Based Fluorescent Immunosensor for Cancer Biomarker DetectionPublication . Sousa, Mariana P.; Piloto, Ana Margarida L.; Pereira, Ana Cláudia; Schmitt, Fernando; Fernandes, Ruben; Moreira, Felismina T. C.Cancer antigen 15-3 (CA 15-3) is a biomarker for breast cancer used to monitor response to treatments and disease recurrence. The present work demonstrates the preparation and application of a fluorescent biosensor for ultrasensitive detection of the cancer antigen CA 15-3 protein tumor marker using mercaptopropionic-acid-functionalized cadmium telluride (CdTe@MPA) quantum dots (QDs) conjugated with CA 15-3 antibodies. First, the QDs were synthesized by the hydrothermal route, resulting in spherical nanoparticles up to 3.50 nm in diameter. Subsequently, the QD conjugates were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV absorption, and fluorescence. The interaction between the conjugates and the protein was studied by fluorescence spectroscopy in buffer and in 10-fold diluted commercial human serum. Calibration in spiked serum samples gave a detection limit of 0.027 U/mL, 1000-fold lower than the clinical limit for CA 15-3 (25 U/mL to 30 U/mL), indicating that this is an ultrasensitive technique. In addition, a rapid response was obtained within 10 min. The biosensor was selective in the presence of the interfering serum proteins BSA, CEA, and CA-125, with a maximum interference of 2% for BSA. The percent recovery was close to 100% with maximum relative standard deviation (RSD%) values of 1.56. Overall, the developed CA 15-3 biosensor provides a simple and sensitive method for ultrasensitive monitoring of breast cancer, as well as the ability to detect other molecules of interest in human serum matrices.
- Studies to identify potential biomarkers for screening, diagnosis and therapy: breast cancer modelPublication . Martins, Diana; Schmitt, FernandoThe Introduction of high-throughput technologies in breast cancer enabled the recognition of groups with prognostic value, in which target-therapies can be applied. However, a relevant percentage of patients show no clinical benefit. A possible solution could be the inhibition of pathways that are common in all tumor subtypes. Alterations of the serine-threonine kinase mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway are common in cancer and thus mTOR is being pursued as a therapeutic agent.