Cardiac Biomarkers
The MMRF/HCMC Cardiac Biomarker Trials Laboratory (CBTL) provides a reliable, economical, and comprehensive center of excellence for:
- clinical studies and outcome research,
- technology assessment for instrumentation and method evaluation,
- reference laboratory capabilities for in-vitro diagnostic manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, and commercial vendors,
- clinical, applied, and basic research investigations of novel biomarkers in cardiology, stroke, and diabetes.
HCMC provides an excellent resource for patient enrollment and specimen acquisition for clinical studies and trials, outcomes, and research studies in cardiology and other selected specialties. All research is approved by the HCMC/MMRF IRB committee for human subjects research in a timely period, for rapid study implementation.
Since 1982 Dr. Apple and his staff have carried out over 100 clinical studies, trials, and analytical evaluations. These studies focus on biomarkers of myocardial injury, including: myocardial infarction, reperfusion success, outcomes risk assessments, decentralized point of care testing trials, CABG, PCI, renal disease and other non-ischemic mechanism of injury. In addition, the laboratory serves as a center of excellence for forensic and clinical toxicology applied research studies.
Services provided by the laboratory include:
- Customized assay and instrument evaluations for central laboratory as well as for point of care – near bedside testing devices.
- Design and implementation of clinical and analytical trials for 510(k) and PMA protocols along FDA regulations;
- Testing on human and veterinary serum, plasma or tissue samples;
- Reference range determination customized for age, ethnic and gender diversity;
- Diverse instrumentation to support comparative testing;
- Expert medical and technical consultative services specializing in a wide range of analytes and regulatory issues.
View the publications list of articles published by the lab.
Current Research
Cardiac Biomarkers Studied:
- Cardiac troponin I and T
- BNP, NT-proBNP, and pro BNP
- Total Creatine Kinase (CK)
- CKMB mass and isoforms
- Myoglobin
- LD isoenzymes
- Glycogen phosphorylase BB
- Fatty acid binding protein
- D-dimer
- Free fatty acids, unconjugated
- Albumin cobalt binding test (IMA)
- Placental Growth Factor
- Myeloperoxidase
- CD 40 Ligand
- Interleukin (6,10)
- Metalloproteinases
- Pregnancy Associated Plasma Protein A (PAPP-A)
- hsCRP
- Novel biomarkers of ischemia and inflammation
Other Areas
- Toxicology – postmortem forensic toxicology, drugs of abuse, therapeutic drug monitoring
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Stroke
- Pulmonary Embolism
- Metabolic – electrolytes, beta-hydroxybutyrate, vitreous humor analysis
- Anemia – B12, folate, ferritin
- Tumor markers
Instrumentation
Automated Platforms:
- Abbott (GE) AxSYM and Architect i2000 SR
- Bayer (Siemens) Advia Centaur
- Beckman Coulter Access
- Dade Behring Dimension RxL
- Ortho Clinical Diagnostics Vitros ECi
- Roche Elecsys 2010
- DPC Immulite 1000, 2000 and 2500
- bioMérieux Vidas
Point of Care:
- Biosite Triage
- Dade Stratus CS
- Response RAMP
- Roche T-Reader
- i-Stat
- Mitsubishi (MKI) Pathfast
Other Instrumentation:
- Artel PCS2—Pipette Calibration System
- Beckman-Coulter Allegra 6 Centrifuge, Vortex, Orbital Shaker and Balances
- Molecular Devices Micro-Plate Reader and Scanner
- Tecan EVO 150 Automated Microtiter Plate System
Funded Studies
- NIH
- VA Cooperative Studies
- Pharmaceutical and Diagnostic Industry Sponsored Studies
- Core Reference Laboratory – Multi-center Trials
Contact Us
Cardiac Biomarker Trials Laboratory
Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation
914 South 8th Street, S222
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404
Phone: 612 337 7342
Fax: 612 337 7380

