VALIDATION OF HMGI C AS A DRUG TARGET IN OBESITY

Not Available Army personnel are at risk of exposure to a broad range of disease agents many of which are rare in the U.S. Moreover, military and civilian personnel are all at risk from terrorist attacks involving chemical or biological warfare agents. Consequently, medical workers and counter-terrorist response teams need to be able to rapidly detect and identify multiple infectious diseases/agents and biological threat organisms in real time in field settings. That important capability is not yet available. Because rapid detection and identification of disease organisms by culture is difficult, researchers have been working to develop molecular-based assays for detection and identification of pathogenic target organisms. However, the current laboratory-based DNA and antibody assay methods are not suitable for rapid, reliable real time testing in actual field settings. For this Phase I project, AndCare proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of producing a simple-to-operate, hand-held, battery-powered instrument capable of real time detection of pathogenic organisms using geneprobe techniques. The instrument will be designed to accommodate existing as well as next-generating assay technologies with the goal of providing the flexibility needed to meet the Army's needs for rapid, simultaneous detection of multiple organisms in a field setting. BENEFITS: Phase I/Phase II success will result in prototype, battery-powered instruments employing sensor array chips for detection of multi