SBIR Phase I: Dendrimer-Immobilized Antibody Kits for the Detection of Bioterror Pathogens

这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在制定与生物恐怖有关的病原体的快速检测方案。目前，还没有一种简单而廉价的识别系统，可以很好地同时检测多种病原体。对于在攻击点的第一响应者来说尤其如此，例如警察、护理人员和消防员。由于在接触A类生物恐怖病原体后的最初几天内，受害者会出现类似流感的症状，因此必须尽快查明病原体（即在一到四个小时内），以尽量减少死亡人数。在这个项目中，一个独特的生物识别系统基于固定化抗体多种蛋白质毒素将被开发。荧光团将附着在多支树枝状大分子上，这些大分子也衍生用于固定化针对生物恐怖病原体的抗体。检测集合将采用试剂盒形式，易于遵循指示，通过抗体-抗原结合，使用色谱分离和荧光检测复合物来识别特定病原体。预计从攻击点获得的样本开始的典型方案将能够在1至4小时内识别各种生物恐怖制剂。该项目的主要商业应用将用于国土防御的第一响应者。预计在食品和饮料行业、生物医学研究实验室、水处理设施和医疗诊断公司也会有更多的应用。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop rapid detection protocols for bioterror-related pathogens. At the current time, there are no simple and inexpensive recognition systems that are well suited to the simultaneous detection of multiple pathogenic agents. This is particularly true for first responders at the point of attack, such as police, paramedics, and firefighters. Since exposure to Class A bioterror pathogens causes flu-like symptoms in their victims during the first few days after exposure, it is critical that the pathogen be identified as quickly as possible (that is, in one to four hours) in order to minimize fatalities. In this project, a unique biorecognition system based on immobilized antibodies to a variety of protein toxins will be developed. Fluorophores will be attached to multi-branched dendrimers that are also derivatized for immobilization of antibodies against bioterror pathogens. The detection ensemble will be in a kit form, with easy to follow instructions for the identification of specific pathogens by antibody-antigen binding, using chromatographic separation and fluorescence detection of the complex. It is anticipated that a typical protocol starting from samples obtained at the point of attack will be able to identify a wide variety of bioterror agents in 1 to 4 hours.The main commercial application of this project will be for first responders involved in Homeland Defense. Additional applications are expected in the food and beverage industry, biomedical research laboratories, water treatment facilities and medical diagnostics companies.