Join us to explore why the matrix itself belongs in your biomarker strategy.
Biomarker programmes live or die on decisions made before the assay ever runs — what you sample, how you collect it, and how it's handled. BioIVT's Courtney Noah, PhD, will share a practical framework for controlling pre-analytical variation across ctDNA, cfRNA/miRNA, extracellular vesicles, and proteins, while Altheome will look beyond plasma and serum to ultra-sensitive, high-plex profiling in dermal interstitial fluid and exhaled breath condensate.
Optimizing Pre-Analytical Variables for ctDNA, cfRNA/miRNA, EVs & Proteins: Practical Guidance for Trial-Ready Liquid Biopsy
Courtney Noah, PhD
VP of Scientific Affairs, BioIVT
Liquid biopsy biomarkers continue to expand beyond ctDNA into cfRNA/miRNA, extracellular vesicles, and circulating proteins. However, these analytes differ dramatically in stability, susceptibility to pre-analytic variation, and compatibility with blood tubes, centrifugation protocols, processing timelines, and storage conditions. As a result, pre-analytical variation remains one of the leading causes of assay noise, false negatives, and poor cross-site reproducibility, especially for MRD detection and multi-omic biomarker strategies.
This talk provides a practical, cross-analyte framework for clinical, translational, and biomarker teams planning liquid biopsy workflows for early trials, late-phase studies, or real-world research. Through examples drawn from industry practice and published literature, we outline best practices for optimizing tube selection, centrifugation parameters, processing-delay thresholds, multi-analyte tradeoffs, and assay-ready QC metrics. Attendees will leave with a clear roadmap for designing trial-ready liquid biopsy collection protocols that maintain analyte integrity and maximize downstream sensitivity, without requiring specialized infrastructure or proprietary technologies.
Beyond the Bloodstream: Exploring Biomarkers in Non-Conventional Matrices
Alanna Thomas, PhD
Principal Scientist, Altheome
Most biomarker programmes default to plasma or serum – but disease and physiological signals don't stop at the bloodstream. Drawing on two internal case studies, we'll explore what happens when ultra-sensitive, high-plex proteomic profiling using Alamar NULISA™ is applied to genuinely non-conventional matrices: dermal interstitial fluid accessed via microneedle sampling, and exhaled breath condensate.
Across both, we'll share what we're finding around sensitivity, detectability, and dynamic range in matrices that biomarker programmes don't typically explore – and what that means for researchers considering where, and how, to sample.
Rather than presenting a single validated result, we'll use this as an open discussion around where the matrix itself becomes part of the biomarker strategy, rather than simply an afterthought.
Key Topics:
- Key pre-analytical factors that influence sensitivity and reliability across ctDNA, cfRNA/miRNA, EVs, and protein biomarkers
- Practical guidance on tube selection, centrifugation workflows, and processing timelines
- How to navigate tradeoffs when designing multi-analyte liquid biopsy protocols
- Essential QC considerations to ensure trial-ready, reproducible liquid biopsy samples
- Biomarkers beyond plasma and serum, including interstitial fluid and exhaled breath condensate
Featuring Insights from
Courtney Noah
,
PhD
Dr. Courtney Noah is BioIVT's Vice President of Scientific Affairs. She leads a team that provides solutions for BioIVT’s clients and business partners. Dr. Noah received her PhD in Molecular and Cellular Biology from Stony Brook University, and her BS is in Food Science from Cornell University.
Alanna Thomas
,
PhD
Alanna is a Principal Scientist with experience ranging from biomarker discovery for fluid-based biomarkers in neurodegenerative disorders to immunogenicity risk assessment in drug development.
With a background in both academic research and CROs, she helps make cutting-edge platforms and techniques more accessible, empowering teams to accelerate R&D. Passionate about creating the best biomarkers for early diagnosis while ensuring patient safety and efficacy, Alanna works with partners to translate complex science into meaningful breakthroughs.
Sponsored by
BioIVT
Altheome
In Partnership with
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