143 Non-invasive skin sample collection: Comparing D-squame and the Smart Sticker

Abstract

Collection of stratum corneum via tape stripping is a minimally invasive procedure applied in a number of fields, including identification of epidermal biomarkers in skin cancers and inflammatory disorders. Tape stripping is an established technique; however, the number and types of tapes used in different studies vary widely. As an example, the most commonly used tape, D-squame skin sampling disc (CuDerm), is applied between 10-35 consecutive times to the sampling site. Repeated tape stripping is likely to result in increased local inflammation, potentially complicating comparison and interpretation of gene expression changes.