AN IN-VIVO/IN-VITRO FIBER OPTIC CHEMICAL SENSOR (FOCS) FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF NATURAL AND INDUCED DISEASES OF MILITARY IMPORTANCE

THE TECHNICAL OBJECTIVE OF PHASE I IS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT A NEW TYPE OF FIBER OPTIC CHEMICAL SENSOR, USING MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES AS THE REACTANTS, CAN BE DEVELOPED WHICH CAN RAPIDLY, SENSITIVELY AND SPECIFICALLY IDENTIFY THE PRESENCE OF NATURAL AND INDUCED DISEASES OF MILITARY IMPORTANCE. PHASE I FOCUSES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SENSOR TECHNOLOGY. THIS IS NECESSARY BECAUSE PRESENT SENSOR TECHNOLOGY IS NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE ARMY'S NEEDS. IN PARTICULAR, SIZE, SPECIFICITY, SENSITIVITY AND LIFETIME ARE REQUISITES THAT CANNOT BE MET. THE NEW SENSOR APPROACH IS BASED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CUSTOM FIBER OPTICS WHICH SHOULD BE ADAPTABLE TO THE ANALYSIS OF SEVERAL TARGET MOLECULES OR CLASSES OF COMPOUNDS BY JUST CHANGING THE ANTIBODY OR OTHER SENSOR MATERIALS. THIS WOULD ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR A LARGE R&D EFFORT FOR EACH SPECIES TO BE MEASURED. IT IS PROJECTED THAT COMPLETE SENSOR SYSTEMS CAN BE MADE WHICH ARE 10 CM X 5 CM X 3 CMINCLUDING BATTERIES. SENSOR SIZE WILL VARY FROM MORE OR LESS THAN 100 TO 500 MICROMETERS OUTSIDE DIAMETER FOR IN-VIVO AND IN-VITRO MEASUREMENTS RESPECTIVELY.