SBIR Phase I: Development and Manufacture of High-Density Plate Washer

Nuvogen Research, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to develop a high-density plate washer for very high-density microplates (1536 or more wells per plate). Currently, there are automated plate washers for 96 or 384 well plates that are heavily used for ELISA assays or most other biochemical or cell-based assays. However, there are none for plates with ultra-high density. This is because currently available washer technology cannot be made reliable enough so that dispense and aspirate nozzles consistently reach within each of the many, very small wells, and so that the many thin nozzles needed do not clog. This project will incorporate a wholly innovative design to get around these problems. The proposed technology will allow scientists to wash the 1536 well plates. The implications are that fluoroscent chemical compounds can now be used for screening because they are removed before the measurement of the samples. This will mean cost savings and efficiency in the screening process for both academic and commercial scientists. The commercial application of this project will be a new product that can be used by the research community involved in screening programs for drug discovery.