CB-Sherlock-Reagentless Biochip for Chemical Agents

Biopraxis, Inc., San Diego CA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Biopraxis proposes to develop a new, reagentless biochip technology to assess human exposure to toxic industrial chemicals and chemical agent weapons of mass destruction or terrorism. This technology has already been shown to be capable of detecting toxins in food and environmental samples, and explosives in environmental samples, without sample clean-up steps. Phase I will show that it can detect very low molecular weight contaminants such as cyanide, DFP, and paranitrophenol; individually identify cross-reactive sample constituents; analyze vapor as well as liquid samples; and detect targets in complex "real world" samples, such as urine and breath. Earlier studies have demonstrated the ability to specifically identify cross-reactive toxins, explosives, divalent metal cations, and pathogens; the methods developed on these studies will be adapted for use on the CDC program. By the end of Phase II, a simple dipstick biochip will be incubated in a few microliters of sample or exposed briefly to air, and then read out automatically, in seconds, using a unique specific transducer. Because the transducer can analyze micron-sized biomolecule pixels, the biochips will be inexpensive; and because no reagents are required and samples can be very small, the technology will be very economical. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: CDC is seeking rapid, reliable, field-rugged methods for assessing human exposure to weapons of mass destruction or terrorism. However, the product will have many other applications as well, including CBW agent and explosives detection for defense and security; wastewater monitoring and site characterization for pollution prevention and remediation; food and beverage analysis and environmental monitoring, for human health and safety; and medical diagnostics.