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SBIR Phase I: Hydrodynamically Driven Immunoassays: An Approach to Real Time Biosensing

Award Information
Agency: National Science Foundation
Branch: N/A
Contract: 0912924
Agency Tracking Number: 0912924
Amount: $100,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: BC
Solicitation Number: NSF 08-548
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2009
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
150 Hamakua Dr. PMB 702
Kailua, HI 96734
United States
DUNS: 130275428
HUBZone Owned: Yes
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Christian Schoen
 PhD
 (808) 263-6387
 cschoen@concana.com
Business Contact
 Christian Schoen
Title: PhD
Phone: (808) 263-6387
Email: cschoen@concana.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project addresses the need for a low cost technique to significantly minimize the time required to complete a diagnostic test while maintaining and possibly improving analytical and diagnostic sensitivity. The time required to complete an immunometric assay is often dictated by diffusion-based mass transport of antigen and label. Exacerbated by low diffusion coefficients inherent to proteins, viruses, and many other large disease markers, these and many other types of tests can take hours or days to complete. This Phase I proposal focuses on the development of an innovative hydrodynamic approach to increase reactant flux via a free liquid jet delivery system in a framework compatible with existing point-of-care (POC) and clinical instrumentation. The approach is predicated on the hypotheses that (1) mass transport is the rate-limiting step for most molecular recognition-based assays; and (2) the rate of nonspecific adsorption is slower than that of specific binding. This project explores the merits of using a spray jet technique as a means to enhance reactant flux, thereby markedly increasing assay speed while possibly lowering nonspecific adsorption. The broader impacts of this research are enabling the transition of diagnostics to the point of care. The increased focus on preventive healthcare is escalating the demand for rapid POC devices and high throughput clinical tests. The combined patient expectations from healthcare providers and the emergence of wellness testing sets the stage for new POC device
genesis and platforms that can increase sample throughput for the in vitro diagnostics industry. Further magnifying the need for diagnostic technologies with as near to real time testing as possible are the needs to: (1) detect and contain the spread of infectious diseases in disaster relief responses; (2) monitor and counter threats to homeland security; (3) assure food and water quality; and (4) advance the health of underdeveloped countries. The ability to manipulate mass transport effects on immunometric and other assay platforms, and the commercial introduction of a hydrodynamic method to increase analyte and label flux, is projected to play a major role in defining assay speed in the next generation of diagnostic tests.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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