About Us
Solutions
- Researchers at the University of Calgary have created a fast, inexpensive point-of-care technology for the detection of biomarkers of infectious and chronic diseases in clinical samples. This innovative method has a high degree of specificity and sensitivity, without any need for sample preparation or purification and all this in a timely manner.
- Our TreAsure Assay technology is based on enzyme complementation and produces glucose as a signalling molecule, which can be easily measured with a glucometer. This glucose level is proportional with antibodies/biomarkers in the sample. Frequent testing and support by a smart phone app allows you to follow up on the stage of the infection or disease and take action.
Jeroen De Buck, MSc, PhD
Jeroen received his Master's in Bioengineering sciences, majoring in cell and gene technologies, his Master's in Laboratory Animal Sciences as well as his PhD in Veterinary Medicine at Ghent University in Belgium. Jeroen is currently Professor of Bacteriology at the University of Calgary.
Daria Venkova, MBT
Daria is a graduate of the Biomedical Technologies Masters program at University of Calgary with a background in Zoology. Daria brings a firsthand perspective on the importance of cattle health to Creative Protein Solutions from her own experience with cattle, that she keeps with her family in Claresholm, Alberta.
Technology
TreAsure Assays
Creative Protein Solutions (CPS) has created biosensors for infectious diseases and inflammation biomarkers, using the patent-pending TreAsure Assay technology, developed at the University of Calgary.
This new approach relies on split enzyme complementation and produces glucose as the signalling molecule, which can be easily measured using existing or custom made glucometers.
The enzyme trehalase (TreA), split into two non-functional fragments, is fused to specific sensing elements. For detecting antibodies, the enzyme fragments are fused with specific antigens. For detecting biomarkers of chronic disease other sensing elements are incorporated. Binding of the sensing element to the antibodies or biomarkers leads to complementation and activation of TreA, which will catalyse the hydrolysis of the substrate trehalose, resulting into glucose molecules.
Lab-based TreAsure Assays convert glucose into a colorimetric signal.
Point-of-Care TreAsure Assays are integrated with existing or CPS's own glucometer technology.
Publications: Our technology has been peer-reviewed:
- Split trehalase as a versatile reporter for a wide range of biological analytes. Drikic M, De Buck J. Biotechnology and Bioengineering. 2018, 115:1128–1136.
- Determining the IgG concentrations in bovine colostrum and calf sera with a novel enzymatic assay. M. Drikic, C. Windeyer, S. Olsen, Y. Fu, L. Doepel and J. De Buck. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology. 2018, 9:69.
Products
Lab tests
Laboratory based diagnostic platform for total IgG quantification, antibody and biomarker detection in clinical samples (blood, serum, milk, colostrum, saliva). Can be used for diagnosis of infectious and inflammatory disease, for measuring vaccine responses as well as the detection of autoantibodies and various protein biomarkers.
Point-of-care tests
Our mission is to bring point-of-care testing to everyone, everywhere.
Our technology offers rapid and accurate detection of antibodies and biomarkers while being user-friendly and low cost. It enables frequent testing, surveillance, informed triage and telehealth.
Lab tests
Colostrum IgG
The modern way of testing total IgG. Convenient, rapid and accurate immunoglobulin quantification in colostrum samples from beef or dairy cattle. For in-house quantification during colostrum product processing or research purposes.
Serum IgG
Convenient, rapid and accurate immunoglobulin quantification in sera from beef or dairy cattle (and 26 other animal species).
Vaccination test
TreAsure Assays can be developed to detect antibodies against virtually any vaccine antigen. This allows for testing the efficacy of human or animal vaccines or vaccine regimens. CPS' first product in this category detects antibodies against E. coli K99, the main component of bacterial scours vaccines.
Infectious diseases
Convenient, rapid and accurate detection of exposure and infection with viral or bacterial pathogens. Our assays detect pathogen-specific antibodies in blood, milk and serum samples, without the need for sample processing, lengthy protocols and expensive equipment.
Biomarkers
Convenient, rapid and accurate detection of biomarkers of chronic and inflammatory diseases. Our assays measure biomarkers in blood, milk and serum samples, without the need for sample processing, lengthy protocols and expensive equipment.
Point-of-care tests
Total IgG
TreAsure Assay reagents are integrated with a disposable chip, a small electronic device and mobile technology for sensitive and rapid point-of-care sensing of total IgG level in milk or blood.
Infectious diseases
TreAsure Assay reagents are integrated with a disposable chip, a small electronic device and mobile technology for sensitive and rapid POC sensing of pathogen-specific antibodies in a pin-prick of blood.
Mastitis
A pen-side test for biomarkers of mastitis is under development for sensitive and rapid detection of (sub)clinical mastitis in milk samples.
Other Inflammatory diseases
A point-of test for biomarkers of inflammation is under development for sensitive and rapid detection of inflammatory diseases in a pin-prick of blood.