Disclosed are a rigorous method and apparatuses for the comprehensive analysis of complex mixtures of organic molecules, specifically biopolymers, in some embodiments predominantly mixtures of proteins, which in some embodiments ultimately serve to obtain the information constituting a biomarker, or similar biological signature, or to monitor health or ageing.

In some embodiments such signatures or patterns may indicate the presence, stage, or type of a disease, the expected or actual response to drugs. In some other embodiments such a method and apparatuses may serve to monitor and/or control cell development. In some other embodiments such a method and apparatuses may serve to develop and use means to measure, influence, or control the speed or degree of aging of cells or organisms.

In some embodiments such a method and apparatuses may serve to determine at least in part the nature of biological hazards, bioterrorism threats, or biological weapons, including those based on bacteria and viruses. In some embodiments such a method and apparatuses may serve to select, develop, and or optimize countermeasures to biological hazards, bioterrorism threats, or biological weapons, including those based on bacteria and viruses.

In other embodiments such a method and apparatuses may be used to asses the expected performance level of a human or animal for a specific task or for a class or problems.

Disclosed are a rigorous method and apparatuses for the comprehensive analysis of complex mixtures of organic molecules, specifically biopolymers, in some embodiments predominantly mixtures of proteins, which in some embodiments ultimately serve to obtain the information constituting a biomarker, or similar biological signature, or to monitor health or ageing.

In some embodiments such signatures or patterns may indicate the presence, stage, or type of a disease, the expected or actual response to drugs. In some other embodiments such a method and apparatuses may serve to monitor and/or control cell development. In some other embodiments such a method and apparatuses may serve to develop and use means to measure, influence, or control the speed or degree of aging of cells or organisms.

In some embodiments such a method and apparatuses may serve to determine at least in part the nature of biological hazards, bioterrorism threats, or biological weapons, including those based on bacteria and viruses. In some embodiments such a method and apparatuses may serve to select, develop, and or optimize countermeasures to biological hazards, bioterrorism threats, or biological weapons, including those based on bacteria and viruses.

In other embodiments such a method and apparatuses may be used to asses the expected performance level of a human or animal for a specific task or for a class or problems.

A method of sample analysis is provided. In certain embodiments, the method may comprise: contacting a nucleic acid sample with a first primer and a second primer under PCR conditions to produce a double stranded product, wherein the second primer comprises a first label and is 5′ blocked; b) contacting the double stranded product with an exonuclease to degrade one strand of the double-stranded product to produce a single stranded product; c) contacting the single stranded product with a third primer under primer extension conditions, wherein the third primer comprises a second label; and d) detecting the first and second labels of the partial duplex. A kit for practicing the method is also provided.

A method of sample analysis is provided. In certain embodiments, the method may comprise: contacting a nucleic acid sample with a first primer and a second primer under PCR conditions to produce a double stranded product, wherein the second primer comprises a first label and is 5′ blocked; b) contacting the double stranded product with an exonuclease to degrade one strand of the double-stranded product to produce a single stranded product; c) contacting the single stranded product with a third primer under primer extension conditions, wherein the third primer comprises a second label; and d) detecting the first and second labels of the partial duplex. A kit for practicing the method is also provided.

Technology provided herein relates in part to methods, processes and apparatuses for non-invasive assessment of genetic variations. In particular the invention relates to methods and kits for detecting aneuploidy of a fetal chromosome by determining the amounts of differentially methylated regions in each of chromosomes 13, 18 and 21 in circulating cell-free nucleic acid from a human pregnant female.

The present invention relates to high-throughput methods comprising direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), multistep tandem mass spectrometry (MS.sup.n), consecutive reaction monitoring (CRM), ion mobility spectrometry mass spectrometry (IMS-MS), high-resolution MS, and IMS-MS, for genome-wide (whole cell or tissue) profiling of DNA and RNA nucleotides/nucleosides having a wide variety of variant structural modifications. In particular, these methods are contemplated for providing a specific profile of variant DNA and/or RNA chemically modified nucleic acids (i.e. structures) associated with specific medical conditions. Medical conditions may include, but are not limited to: cancer; including prostate, lung, uterus, larynx, ovary, breast, kidney, and many other types of cancers; specific stages of cancer; bacterial infections; viral infections; genetic and metabolic disorders; and any condition involving changes in DNA and/or RNA structural modifications.

The present invention relates to high-throughput methods comprising direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), multistep tandem mass spectrometry (MS.sup.n), consecutive reaction monitoring (CRM), ion mobility spectrometry mass spectrometry (IMS-MS), high-resolution MS, and IMS-MS, for genome-wide (whole cell or tissue) profiling of DNA and RNA nucleotides/nucleosides having a wide variety of variant structural modifications. In particular, these methods are contemplated for providing a specific profile of variant DNA and/or RNA chemically modified nucleic acids (i.e. structures) associated with specific medical conditions. Medical conditions may include, but are not limited to: cancer; including prostate, lung, uterus, larynx, ovary, breast, kidney, and many other types of cancers; specific stages of cancer; bacterial infections; viral infections; genetic and metabolic disorders; and any condition involving changes in DNA and/or RNA structural modifications.

Methods are provided for assessing risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma in a subject using one or more of the following marker genes/proteins: ISG15, LTF, CNDP2, DAD1, SET, UBE2N, S100P, and GPI. Methods are also provided for determining expression of one or more esophageal adenocarcinoma risk factors in a subject. Methods are also provided for treating esophageal adenocarcinoma in a subject, for preventing esophageal adenocarcinoma in a subject, for inhibiting or decreasing proliferation of esophageal adenocarcinoma cells, for inhibiting or decreasing migration of esophageal adenocarcinoma cells, or for increasing susceptibility to cytotoxicity or inducing cell death of esophageal adenocarcinoma cells.

Methods are provided for assessing risk of developing esophageal adenocarcinoma in a subject using one or more of the following marker genes/proteins: ISG15, LTF, CNDP2, DAD1, SET, UBE2N, S100P, and GPI. Methods are also provided for determining expression of one or more esophageal adenocarcinoma risk factors in a subject. Methods are also provided for treating esophageal adenocarcinoma in a subject, for preventing esophageal adenocarcinoma in a subject, for inhibiting or decreasing proliferation of esophageal adenocarcinoma cells, for inhibiting or decreasing migration of esophageal adenocarcinoma cells, or for increasing susceptibility to cytotoxicity or inducing cell death of esophageal adenocarcinoma cells.

The present disclosure relates to compositions and methods of RNA analysis. In particular, the present disclosure provides a method of RNA analysis that includes obtaining a sample, applying one or more multi-partite probes to the sample, where each of the one or more multi-partite probes includes at least two sub-probes, annealing at least one of the applied one or more multi-partite probes to at least one target nucleic acid within the sample, and ligating the at least two sub-probes associated with the at least one annealed multi-partite probe to create a target nucleic acid proxy that can be detected.