Development of a Field Instrument for Multiplexed Identification and Quantitation of Microorganisms in Environmental Samples

Loyola University Maryland, Inc., Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

0116765 Lowe This is a proposal to acquire equipment to be used in the development of a field instrument for the identification and quantitation of microorganisms in environmental samples. The instrument involves nucleic acid hybridizations on the surface of microscopic, fluorescent, polystyrene beads in order to identify specific DNA sequences in heterogeneous mixtures of sequences. Specific objectives include: (1) the development of hardware specifications for the instrument, (2) specification of the calibrations which must be conducted in order to make quantitatively accurate measurements of several microorganisms, and (3) develop the software and statistical analysis procedure for analyzing the data.