RAPID, INEXPENSIVE ASSAY FOR INFLUENZA A

该提案致力于开发一种快速、廉价的测定方法， 检查鼻咽分泌物或痰中是否有甲型流感病毒。 测定 利用一种新型的生物传感器，分子识别/结合作为 探测元件和专有的集成光学干涉仪， 换能器。干涉仪的独特设计最大限度地减少了 热机械噪声，为传感提供高度稳定的平台 非常低浓度的特定生物分子、化学物质或 微生物在水或气体环境中。的方法 依赖于检测表面处的小折射率变化 的干涉仪。当受体分子固定在 干涉仪表面，随后的特定配体的结合导致 折射率发生显著变化。 基于该方法的测定 l）它是快速的（等于或小于15 分钟），2）灵敏（皮克/毫升范围），3）简单 (no标签或标记）和4）它是低成本的（<5美元的单位成本，没有 昂贵的分析仪器）。该生物传感器可以包装为 手持式设备，适合实验室外使用。此外，该技术 提供了同时检测几种呼吸道疾病的可能性， 感染（例如;甲型流感、B型流感、RVS、副流感） 单次测定。

This proposal addresses the development of a rapid, inexpensive assay to screen nasopharyngeal secretions or sputum for influenza A. The assay utilizes a novel biosensor, with molecular recognition/binding as the detection element and a proprietary, integrated optic interferometer as the transducer. The unique design of the interferometer minimizes thermomechanicaI noise to provide a highly stable platform for sensing very low concentrations of specific biomolecules, chemicals or microorganisms in either aqueous or gaseous environments. The approach relies on the detection of small refractive index changes at the surface of the interferometer. When receptor molecules are immobilized on the interferometer surface, the subsequent binding of specific ligands results in a pronounced refractive index change. An assay based on this approach has a number of key advantages: l) it is rapid (equal to or less than 15 minutes), 2) it is sensitive (picogram/milliliter range), 3) it is simple (no labeling or tagging) and 4) it is low cost (< $5 unit cost, no expensive analytic instrumentation). The biosensor can be packaged as a hand-held device, suitable for out-of-lab use. Moreover, the technology offers the potential of simultaneously testing for several respiratory infections (e.g.; influenza A, influenza B, RVS, parainfluenza) in a single assay.