Whole blood remains the cornerstone specimen type used in molecular analysis. Changes in the DNA, RNA, protein, peptide, metabolic, and blood cell analyte levels during pre-analytic specimen handling between collection and eventual molecular analysis impacts testing accuracy and delegitimizes any conclusions drawn from the results. The specific aim of this research is to develop stabilized blood collection devices which effectively preserve analytes at their collection levels, and allow for cold-chain independent shipping and storage. It accomplishes this through the utilization of biostability compounds which stabilize and protect the analytes. What is unique and noteworthy about our proposal is that these particular biostability compounds not only protect soluble analytes such as plasma proteins, but appear to act on the entire cellular fraction, including whole cells and the analytes associated or contained within them. In essence, the biostability compounds arrest the entire blood specimen in its post-collection state, and in a form which is compatible with all downstream molecular analysis. The proposed research will result in the, selection of performance-validated biostability compounds which can be incorporated into standard blood collection tubes or self-draw blood collection devices.
