Combinatorial DNA Array Microsensor for Chem-Bio and Explosives

Operational Technologies Corporation proposes to further develop a novel Combinatorial DNA Array Recognition Surface (CARS) published by OpTechs senior scientist in IEEE Sensors Journal (7:1609-1616, 2007) for eventual universal sensing of any analyte including chem-bio and explosives in a handheld format.  In Phase I, OpTech will investigate electrical conduction through the CARS DNA array as a mode for rapid, compact, yet sensitive detection and discrimination of germane chem-bio and explosives analytes or simulants.  Electrical detection will be compared with the existing fluorescence detection mode and one mode selected for Phase II development with OpTechs engineering partner.  In Phase II, OpTech will miniaturize and integrate the CARS biosensor with a compact aerosol collector, develop recognition software and a signature library for chem-bio and explosives analytes of interest, and deliver the sensor prototype for further government testing and validation. In Phase III, OpTech will aggressively push the CARS sensor into various markets, because it is a truly universal sensor capable of detecting virtually any analyte from small molecules to whole cells based on the analytes characteristic binding pattern to the large combinatorial DNA array. CARS has tremendous commercial potential in point-of-care medical diagnostics, portable environmental detection, food safety, and drug discovery screening. BENEFIT: There is a worldwide need for a simple, rapid, universal and cost-effective sensor technology to detect and identify known and unknown explosives, toxic chemicals, drugs, metabolites, bacteria, viruses, parasites, cancer cells and other analytes. CARS represents a combinatorial chemistry sensor technology that meets this need.  When coupled to simple one-step electrical conduction or fluorescence imaging readout and matched to a library of known signatures via pattern recognition software, CARS has tremendous potential in point-of-care medical diagnostics, portable environmental detection, food safety, and drug discovery screening.