QF-Pro brings clinical-grade FLIM-FRET to precision oncology. Measure protein-protein interactions at 1-10nm resolution and identify patients who will respond to therapy.
Current companion diagnostics measure protein presence, not function. A protein can be highly expressed but inactive, or low-expressed but highly engaged.
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) measures how much protein is present, but cannot determine if proteins are actually interacting.
FLIM-FRET technology measures actual protein-protein interactions at molecular scale.
In a retrospective study of 135 NSCLC patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, QF-Pro measurement of PD-1/PD-L1 interaction fundamentally outperformed expression-based biomarkers.
Meanwhile, PD-L1 expression (TPS ≥50%) showed no significant correlation with survival (P=0.162). The functional biomarker identified 24% of patients who would have been excluded by expression-only criteria.
Source: Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2023. Sanchez-Magraner et al.
n=135 NSCLC patients treated with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy.
The QF-Pro platform is backed by extensive peer-reviewed research demonstrating clinical utility across multiple cancer types and biomarker targets.
135 patients. High interaction: 31 months OS. Low interaction: 10 months OS. P<0.0001.
2025"Double high" (both CTLA-4/CD80 + PD-1/PD-L1): 35 months median OS. Neither predicted chemo response.
2022First CTLA-4/CD80 measurement at 1-10nm resolution. Checkpoint interaction did NOT correlate with ligand expression.
2020Established two-site cell-cell amplified FRET method for PD-1/PD-L1 in melanoma and NSCLC.
2017Activation: HR=0.228, P=0.002. Expression: HR=1.390, P=0.548. Function predicts; expression does not.
2022Comprehensive review of PKC, Akt/PKB, HER2-HER3, PD-1/PD-L1 applications in precision medicine.
QF-Pro combines precision optics, time-resolved detection, and advanced algorithms to measure molecular interactions directly in tissue.
Measures fluorescence lifetime changes caused by energy transfer between interacting proteins.
Learn about FLIM →FRET only occurs when proteins are within nanometers of each other—confirming direct molecular interaction.
Learn about FRET Efficiency →Dual-antibody coincidence detection provides inherent specificity for true protein-protein interactions.
Learn about iFRET →A comprehensive reference covering FLIM-FRET technology, spatial proteomics, and their applications in cancer research. Built to support understanding of functional biomarkers.
A distance-dependent quantum mechanical process where energy transfers non-radiatively from an excited donor fluorophore to an acceptor fluorophore. FRET efficiency is inversely proportional to the sixth power of the distance between molecules, making it exquisitely sensitive to molecular proximity at the 1-10nm scale.
Structured journeys through key topics, with narrative context that explains why each concept matters and how they connect.
The physics of FLIM-FRET: from fluorescence lifetime to clinical measurement.
5 conceptsWhy measuring function beats measuring expression—the paradigm shift.
5 conceptsThe molecular brakes of immunity and how immunotherapy releases them.
5 conceptsSignaling molecules that drive cancer—and why activation state matters.
5 conceptsFrom patient tissue to molecular measurement—the practical workflow.
3 conceptsWhere science meets patient care—diseases, outcomes, and impact.
5 conceptsA 42-minute guided tour of FLIM-FRET functional proteomics — from the physics of energy transfer to clinical validation in 135 NSCLC patients. Interactive chapter guide with 40 topics linked directly to the glossary.
Interactive simulations help build intuition for the physics underlying functional biomarker measurement.
Explore the technology behind functional biomarkers and see how QF-Pro is transforming precision oncology.