Device for non-invasive, painless skin sampling using adhesive glue and support material that enables recovery of nucleic acids.

Nucleic acid diagnostics help identify and monitor diseases. Traditional methods for the recovery of nucleic acids and proteins from the skin, however, involve the use of a scalpel or other sharp instrument. These sampling methods require local anesthesia, create bleeding wounds, produce scarring and generally necessitate sutures to close the skin. Adhesive tape has also been used to obtain skin samples, but requires repeated applications of tape strips to inflamed lesions.

This new technology provides an innovative, simple approach to recover skin samples using liquid adhesives. A novel glue is painted onto the skin and then overlaid with support materials. Removing the glue facilitates harvesting of skin samples with ample material for assay testing. This method provides a one-step, efficient, and non-invasive means for recovering nucleic acids from skin lesions of all sizes.

Proof of Concept

• Recovers more nucleic acid than traditional methods using only one step.
• Decreases costs by eliminating the need for local anesthesia and sutures.
• Reduces patient discomfort and scarring.

Benson, N.R., Papenfuss, J., Wong, R., Motaal, A., Tran, V., Panko, J., Krueger, G.G. (2006). An analysis of select pathogenic messages in lesional and non-lesional psoriatic skin using non-invasive tape harvesting. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 126(10): 2234- 2241. doi:10.1038/sj.jid.5700412

Publication Number: US 2010/0129801 A1
Patent Title: Non-Invasive Recovery of RNA and Analysis of Gene Expression in Skin
Jurisdiction/Country: United States
Application Type: Non-Provisional

Aaron Duffy
(801) 585-1377
aaron.duffy@utah.edu