SBIR Phase I: A Biochip for Biological Pathogen Detection

该小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目提出开发一种生物传感器，用于测量半导体芯片上DNA的固有电子传输特性。这种生物芯片有望提高数据质量，降低成本，减少样品处理。DNA传输电子的能力取决于碱基的完全匹配。因此，只有正确的靶DNA才能在所提出的系统中给出信号。此外，由于信号是电子的，因此进行测量所需的仪器将比目前使用的荧光系统便宜得多。最后，由于传输电子的能力是DNA固有的，因此不需要进行任何修改，也只需要很少的样品处理。该项目将解决两个基本障碍，一个可靠的，大规模制造的生物传感器的基础上通过DNA的电子传输。首先，该项目将研究通过降低DNA/电极组件的总电阻来降低启动电子传输所需的电压偏置。第二，本项目将研究降低电极与DNA之间接触电阻的方法。克服这两个障碍将极大地促进廉价、准确的生物芯片的制造，该芯片将检测DNA而不扩增。该项目的商业应用将在四个选定的市场：国土防御生物制剂检测，生命科学研究，药物开发和医疗诊断。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes to develop a biosensor that measures the inherent electron transport properties of DNA on a semiconductor chip. This biochip is expected to improve data quality, decrease cost and minimize sample processing. The ability of DNA to transport electrons is dependent on the bases being perfectly matched. Thus, only the correct target DNA would give a signal in the proposed system. Furthermore, since the signal is electronic, the instrumentation required to make the measurements will be far less expensive than currently used fluorescent systems. Finally, since the ability to transport electrons is intrinsic to DNA, no modifications and very little sample processing will be required. This project will address two fundamental barriers to a reliable, mass-manufacturable biosensor based on electron transport through DNA. First, the project will investigate decreasing the voltage biases required to initiate electron transport by decreasing the overall resistance of the DNA/electrode assembly. Second, the project will investigate methods to decrease the contact resistance between the electrode and the DNA. Overcoming these two obstacles will greatly facilitate the manufacture of an inexpensive, accurate biochip that will detect DNA without amplification. The commercial application of this project will be in four select markets : biological agent detection for homeland defense, life science research, drug development and medical diagnostics.