On July 17, 2026 – Dr. Wu Yuzhao, a 2017 graduate of Zhiyuan College’s chemistry division and now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge, returned to Zhiyuan College to deliver a lecture on ultra-sensitive protein biomarker detection for early cancer diagnosis.

During the 27th session of the "Dialogue with Alumni" series, Dr. Wu introduced a single-molecule array (Simoa)-based assay developed during his Ph.D. studies at Cambridge for detecting p53 protein aggregates. The technology achieves femtomolar-level sensitivity—100 to 1,000 times higher than conventional ELISA—by isolating single molecules in femtoliter-sized microwells, enabling ultra-low background and high signal amplification.

In clinical validation, the assay demonstrated strong diagnostic performance in glioblastoma patients, with an AUC of 0.91 in plasma samples. Longitudinal data showed that p53 aggregate levels correlated with tumor recurrence and treatment response—rising levels suggested relapse, while declining levels indicated effective therapy. Collaborative studies with SJTU's Dr. Wu Yingli further revealed significantly elevated p53 aggregates in lung cancer, chronic myeloid leukemia, and colorectal cancer samples. For esophageal cancer screening, the team adapted the test to supernatant fluids collected via capsule-sponge devices in partnership with Professor Rebecca Fitzgerald.

Dr. Wu explained that p53 aggregates—formed under cellular stress or mutation—lose tumor-suppressive functions and gain oncogenic activity, making them promising pan-cancer biomarkers independent of TP53 mutation status. The team also developed silica-nanoparticle-based calibrators to improve assay robustness.

In the Q&A session, Dr. Wu discussed clinical translation, cost control, and the rationale behind biomarker selection. He encouraged students to bridge fundamental research with clinically meaningful questions, drawing on his academic journey from Zhiyuan College to the University of Tokyo and Cambridge.