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Metal Enhancement for a Near-IR Fluorescence Scanner

Award Information
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Branch: National Institutes of Health
Contract: 1R43RR021785-01
Agency Tracking Number: RR021785
Amount: $200,413.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: PHS2005-2
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2005
Award Year: 2005
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
Li-Cor, Inc. 4308 Progressive Ave
Lincoln, NE 68504
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 JON ANDERSON
 (402) 467-0643
 JANDERSON@LICOR.COM
Business Contact
Phone: (402) 467-0700
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Fluorescent molecules that are in close proximity to metallic surfaces, including silver and gold island films, produce increased fluorescence intensity along with increased photostability and decreased fluorescent lifetimes. These metal island films have been largely studied for their ability to increase fluorescent intensities in low quantum yield fluorophores, but little information exists on the ability of these metal islands to enhance the performance of fluorescent dyes used in proteomic and genomic applications. Moreover, the effects of metallic surface characteristics on the enhancement of fluorescent dyes have not been systematically studied, and even less is known about the reproducibility and longevity of these metal island films. The overall objective of this proposal is to enhance fluorescence of near-infrared dyes through the use of metal island films. Fluorescence in the near-infrared offers the additional advantage of significantly lowering the background generated by the visible wavelengths used in currently available array technologies. We will characterize techniques for producing metal island films with respect to reproducibility and longevity. We will also explore metal island geometry that may enhance fluorescence intensity. This work will add to our knowledge of how metallic surfaces can be reproducibly generated and will lay the foundation for a broader understanding of how metal enhanced fluorescence can be used to lower the limit of sample detection. In the long term, the goal of this research will be to develop a microarray slide or substrate that uses metal enhanced fluorescence to decrease the limit of detection while using currently available instrumentation.

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

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