Synthetic Serum Markers Enable Noninvasive Monitoring of Gene Expression in Primate Brains

The current paradigm is the use of invasive methods, such as positron emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or, in some cases, electrophysiology, to monitor gene expression in the primate brain, especially long-term.

The preprint presents Released Markers of Activity (RMAs) as an innovative approach for monitoring transgene expression in the brain of nonhuman primates using blood tests. This innovative approach circumvents the need for invasive procedures while still providing sensitive measurements. This novel non-invasive approach stands as an extension of the existing paradigm, refining the techniques employed within the field without fundamentally altering the overarching framework or methodology. Therefore, the preprint firmly falls into the category of normal science. It is possible the field may enter a stage of Model Drift if more laboratories begin adopting the use of RMAs to monitor the expression of transgenes and report outcomes which are inconsistent or less invasive than what PET or MRI could detect.