SBIR Phase I: High-Throughput Direct Ratiometric Calorimeter for Drug Discovery

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是生产第一台高通量和低成本的差示扫描量热仪(DSC)。DSC是一种非常强大的药物发现工具，由于高成本和每两小时只有一个样本的低吞吐量，采用程度较低。DSC的强大之处在于热力学测量，它不需要任何正在研究的分子的事先特定知识，也不需要任何标签。由于不需要任何特定的知识，在寻找新的药物分子时，有可能筛选更多种类和更高数量的化合物。根据该项目开发的仪器将能够每两小时处理24至96个样本，从而使基于DSC的药物发现在商业上可行。该项目的创新还将降低DSC仪器的生产成本，使其广泛用于研究和教育目的。成本降低的另一个好处是还有可能被用作教学工具。独特的药物发现知识和低成本的结合将有助于降低发现和分析潜在新药分子的相关成本。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目包括生产高通量差示扫描量热仪所需的研究和开发活动。该仪器的一个独特特点是使用一次性使用的无菌样品盒，可容纳24至96个样品。与目前可用的仪器相比，这些色谱柱将实现高通量的样品处理。目前的仪器使用传感器和加热器，这些传感器和加热器永久连接到样品池上。该项目将解决与使用非永久连接的传感器和加热器来实现可插入和从仪器中取出的样品盒相关的技术挑战。该项目的活动将确定最佳材料和部件，并确定样品盒的布局，以最大限度地增加每个试剂盒中的样品盒数量。这些活动将最大限度地减少与生产可投入生产的仪器相关的风险，并为客户带来最大利益。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is the production of the first high-throughput and low-cost Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) instrument. DSC is an extremely powerful tool for drug discovery that has low adoption due to high costs and low throughput of only one sample every two hours. The power of DSC is the thermodynamic measurements, which do not require any prior specific knowledge of the molecules being studied and do not require any labels. By not requiring any specific knowledge, it is possible to screen a wider variety and a higher quantity of compounds in the search for new drug molecules. The instrument to be developed from this project will be capable of processing 24 to 96 samples every two hours, thereby making DSC-based drug discovery commercially viable. Innovations from this project will also reduce the cost of producing DSC instruments, making them widely accessible for research and educational purposes. An added benefit of the reduced costs is the potential also to be utilized as a teaching tool. The combination of unique drug discovery knowledge and low costs will serve to reduce the costs associated with discovering and analyzing potential new drug molecules.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project comprises the research and development activities required to produce a high-throughput differential scanning calorimeter. A unique feature of the proposed instrument is the utilization of single-use, sterile sample cartridges that can hold 24 to 96 samples. These cartridges will enable high-throughput sample processing compared to currently available instruments. Current instruments use sensors and heaters that are permanently attached to the sample cells. This project will address the technical challenges associated with using non-permanently attached sensors and heaters to enable a sample cartridge that can be inserted and removed from the instrument. Activities of this project will identify optimal materials and components and determine the layout of sample cells to maximize the number of sample cells in each cartridge. These activities will minimize risks associated with producing a production-ready instrument and deliver maximum customer benefit.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.