Ultrafiltration Device for Rapid, High, Through-put Sample Preparation

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的目标是开发用于样品制备的先进超滤（UF）设备，该设备比现有设备更快且更易于使用。基于专有概念的新技术使超滤能够在低压下进行，无需离心机或其他复杂的设备，从而形成单通道切向流超滤方法。该项目的具体目标是： 1. 设计并构建单样品切向流、中空纤维、超滤装置原型。 2. 使用 BSA 或 BSA 和肽的混合物作为模型，根据处理时间和浓度因子表征操作参数，作为蛋白质溶液的纤维几何形状、设备配置和真空水平的函数。 3. 评估该设备在生命科学研究中超滤应用中的性能，并将该性能与已发布的常规设备性能数据进行比较。 现有的超滤设备具有固有的局限性，导致过滤速度慢、变异性高，并且需要使用离心机，这种离心机很麻烦，并且与许多实验室使用的机器人样品处理系统不兼容，而这是高通量筛选所必需的。该项目开发的超滤过滤技术结合了新颖的流体和几何配置，可提供更高的吞吐量和与机器人系统的兼容性。拟议项目开发的技术预计将消除当前方法中的障碍，促进新诊断程序的采用，并降低现有方法的成本。这项研究将导致改进技术和新的、成本更低的生物样品纯化和分离设备的开发。该项目开发的技术的潜在应用包括用于单个和多个样品处理的一次性设备，以及用于生物制药制造的大型系统。拟议的研究预计将产生将为公众健康带来重大益处的技术和设备。该研究与提高心血管疾病状态和一般生物标志物的监测能力以及 NHLBI 在全国范围内预防、检测和控制高血压的努力尤其相关。该项目的技术预计将改进涉及血液和尿液等生理液体的临床诊断方法，这些液体需要在临床测试方案之前快速处理。 拟议的研究预计将产生对公众健康产生重大益处的技术。该研究与提高心血管疾病状态监测能力以及国家预防、检测和控制高血压的努力尤其相关。该项目的技术预计将改进涉及血液和尿液等生理液体的临床诊断方法，这些液体需要在临床测试方案之前快速处理。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to develop advanced ultrafiltration (UF) devices for sample preparation that are faster and easier to use than existing devices. New technology based on proprietary concepts enables ultrafiltration to be practiced at low pressure, and without the need of centrifuges or other complex apparatus, resulting in a single-pass, tangential-flow ultrafiltration method. The specific aims of the project are: 1. Design and construct prototypes of single sample tangential flow, hollow fiber, ultrafiltration devices. 2. Characterize the operating parameters in terms of the processing time and concentration factor as function of fiber geometry, device configuration and vacuum levels for protein solutions, using BSA or mixtures of BSA and peptides as a model. 3. Evaluate the performance of this device on an ultrafiltration application in life science research and compare this performance with published data on the performance of conventional devices. Existing UF devices have inherent limitations which result in slow filtration, high variability, and require the use of centrifuges which is cumbersome and not compatible with the robotic sample handling systems used in many laboratories and necessary for high-throughput screening. The UF filtration technology developed in this project combines novel fluidic and geometrical configurations that provide higher throughput and compatibility with robotic systems. The technology developed as a result of the proposed project is expected to remove barriers in current methods, facilitate the adoption of new diagnostic procedures, and reduce the cost of existing methods. This research will lead to the development of improved technology and new, lower cost devices for the purification and isolation of biological samples. Potential applications of the technology developed in this project include disposable devices for single and multiple sample processing, as well as for large-scale systems for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The proposed research is expected to produce technology and devices which will provide significant benefits to public health. The research is particularly relevant to improved capabilities for the monitoring of cardiovascular disease states, and biomarkers in general, and the NHLBI's national efforts to prevent, detect and control hypertension. The technology from this project is expected to improve clinical diagnostic methods involving physiological fluids such as blood and urine, which need to be processed quickly in advance of a clinical testing protocol. The proposed research is expected to produce technology for significant benefits to public health. The research is particularly relevant to improved capabilities for the monitoring of cardiovascular disease states relative to national efforts to prevent, detect and control hypertension. The technology from this project is expected to improve clinical diagnostic methods involving physiological fluids such as blood and urine, which need to be processed quickly in advance of a clinical testing protocol.