SBIR Phase II: Ultra-High Sensitivity Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Sensor for Real-Time Botulinum Detection

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目建议开发一种基于新型超灵敏表面等离子体共振(SPR)技术的肉毒杆菌毒素原型检测器。肉毒杆菌毒素将通过附着在传感器表面的多肽底物的特定切割来检测。与目前可用的方法相比，该系统将在很短的时间内提供结果，并且成本要低得多。这项技术的可行性在第一阶段得到了成功的证明。第二阶段的研究将包括对A型和B型肉毒杆菌的检测进行优化，开发从复杂溶液中提取毒素的方案，以及建造一种多路检测肉毒杆菌毒素的仪器。开发的仪器将具有在单个芯片上超灵敏地检测肉毒杆菌A和B的能力(与小鼠LD50检测的灵敏度相当)。该项目的主要商业应用将是生物制剂的检测。这项拟议的工作虽然最初旨在快速检测个人和食品中的肉毒杆菌中毒，但将扩展到其他生物制剂，如炭疽和霉菌毒素。预计更多的应用将用于药物发现和生物医学研究，以及医疗和化妆品应用中肉毒杆菌产品的效力测试。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project proposes to develop a prototype botulinum toxin detector based on a novel ultra-sensitive Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technology. The botulinum toxin will be detected by means of the specific cleavage of a peptide substrate attached to the sensor surface. The system will provide results in a fraction of the time and at a much lower cost compared to currently available methods. The feasibility of this technology was successfully demonstrated in Phase I. The research in Phase II will include assay optimization for detection of botulinum types A and B, development of a toxin extraction protocol from complex solutions, and construction of an instrument for multiplexed detection of botulinum toxins. The developed instrument will have the capability for ultrasensitive detection of Botulinum A and B (comparable to the sensitivity of the mouse LD50 assay) on a single chip.The principal commercial application of this project will be in the detection of biothreat agents. The proposed work, though initially aimed at rapid detection of botulism in individuals and in foods, will be extendable to other biothreat agents such as anthrax and mycotoxins. Additional applications are expected in drug discovery and biomedical research, and for potency testing of botulinum products in medical and cosmetic applications.