SBIR Phase I: Micro/Nanofluidic Protein Profiler for Pathogen Detection

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This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop a micro/nano fluidic proteomic platform for pathogen detection and identification. The system is based on the use of high-resolution, two-dimensional (2-D) protein separations in disposable microfluidic chips to generate protein expression maps which may be used to identify biomarker patterns unique to specific pathogens. Effective technologies for the early detection and identification of biological warfare agents are of critical and growing importance. The novel miniaturized detection platform will be capable of meeting key requirements for universal pathogen detection with the ability to identify bacterial, viral, and protein toxin agents in a single detection platform. The system will provide identification within a short 15 minute cycle time, significantly faster than comparable microarray technologies. Furthermore, it will not employ biologically active reagents for its operation and will not require a priori knowledge of which pathogens may be present in a sample. If successful, the proposed technology will provide a unique solution for rapidly identifying environmental pathogens, with benefits for a wide range of field-deployable applications. Further miniaturization employing nanoscale detection channels with confocal scanning microscopy will enable protein profiling at the single molecule level for ultra-sensitive early pathogen detection. In addition to the need for improved pathogen detection for antiterrorism applications, there are over two million emergency response personnel located at over 90,000 public health and safety facilities who are effectively on the front lines of homeland defense, and who will directly benefit from cost-effective technologies to quickly detect or dismiss potential biowarfare threats. It is particularly vital for these personnel to have access to detection tools capable of broad spectrum pathogen detection without the need for priori knowledge of which pathogens may be present. In addition, rapid, accurate bacterial identification is critically important in applications outside of biowarfare defense. Industries which will benefit from these developments include disease diagnosis, prediction of emerging health hazards, monitoring potential food contamination, and bioprocess regulation. Furthermore, the technology in this effort will offer benefits to the biopharmaceutical industry as a proteomics tool for biomarker identification and drug discovery.