James Xiao
Grade: 10
Wexford, PA
Inducted: 2024
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) affects over 280 million people globally, yet fewer than 25% receive adequate care due to the lack of a definitive diagnostic test, relying instead on subjective symptom assessments prone to misdiagnosis. To address this critical gap, I developed EyeSpeak, a non-invasive, tear-based biosensor for early depression detection. Using LC-MS/MS proteomics, I analyzed tears from MDD patients and healthy controls, identifying 1,042 proteins and 205 differentially expressed proteins. By integrating findings from blood and cerebrospinal fluid biomarker research, I identified matrix metalloproteinase-9, interleukin-8, and STAM-binding protein as key tear biomarkers, validated by ELISA with 100% accuracy. EyeSpeak, powered by a Sensit Smart electrochemical sensor and utilizing metalloproteinase-9 as a depression biomarker, delivers 100% accuracy at a cost of just 80 cents in 20 minutes. It outperforms the PHQ-9 and psychologist evaluations by 1.5-fold, offering a faster, more affordable, and highly reliable solution—saving patients hundreds of dollars and months of uncertainty. This innovation offers a quantitative, point-of-care gold standard for depression screening, promising to revolutionize mental health diagnostics. My work exemplifies interdisciplinary innovation, integrating cutting-edge biomedical technology, sensor development, and precision medicine, positioning me to make meaningful contributions to biomedical advancements in my future scientific endeavors.
See More Here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arbqRb_0RIc
Peer-Reviewed Publications:
1) James Xiao, et al. (2024). Tear fluid proteomic analysis with improved LC-MS/MS protocol. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 65(7), 6557. https://iovs.arvojournals.org/article.aspx?articleid=2799818
2) James Xiao, et al. (2024). High-Throughput Tear Proteomics via In-Capillary Digestion for Biomarker Discovery. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 25(22), 12239. PMID: 39596304; PMCID: PMC11594680; DOI: 10.3390/ijms252212239. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39596304/