TRANS-MEMBRANE WATER AND ION MEASUREMENT SYSTEM (TWIMS)

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): BioTechPlex proposes to develop a Transmembrane Water and Ion Measurement System (TWIMS) to measure miniscule water fluxes across biological membranes in conjunction with their electro-physiological properties. BioTechPlex has accomplished all the objectives proposed in Phase I. A) Developed a novel light source and associated optics for fluorescence photon detection and analysis. B) Integrated the bench optics into a measurement system, tested the system and demonstrated its markedly increased sensitivity for the measurement of transmembrane water fluxes. In this Phase II project, BioTechPlex will integrate the principle and concepts of the electro-optics developed in this Phase I to build an 8-tissue chamber system. To develop a manufacturability prototype of the TWIMS, we will proceed with the development of further innovative technologies. These include: 1) fluorescence detection technology; 2) prototyping of the chambers and tissue holders to accommodate both native epithelia and confluent tissue cultures; and 3) a virtual instrumentation platform for the measurement of luminal to basolateral and basolateral to luminal waters fluxes, potential difference and short circuit current. This multichamber system will be designed to suit the needs of physiologists and pharmacologists, in academia, government and industry. It will be designed for scientific research experiments as well as for use in the drug discovery industry. BioTechPlex plans to market the TWIMS for scientific investigations and drug discovery in fields including but not limited to, 1) respiratory disease such as chronic bronchitis, asthma bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis; 2) gastrointestinal disease such as diarrhea, cholera infection and severe dehydration; 3) kidney disease such as renal failure; and 4) eye diseases such as dry eye syndrome.