A Novel, Microfabricated, Electro-Immuno, Integrated Sensor-Sampler for Bioagent Collection and Detection

Current technologies for biodetection employ typically large, cumbersome, power-guzzling and expensive devices. Integration of separate sampler and detection units often poses problems. They are not flexible enough for adapting to different threatscenarios, and are not capable of monitoring for a variety of possible agents. CFDRC proposes to develop and demonstrate a Microfabricated, Electro-immuno Integrated Sampler-Sensor (MEISS) designed to be a compact, low-cost, tuneable, multiplexed,high-sensitivity, high-selectivity sampling and sensing device.Our novel approach will feature (a) micromachined systems (MEMS) design (b) dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces for collection of bioagents, and (c) antigen-antibody micro-immunoassays on microsphere platforms for detection. MEMS-based systems have yieldeddramatic improvement in efficiencies along with reduction in size. DEP-based separation offers orders of magnitude improvement in separation, tuneability and bioefficiencies over conventional inertial samplers. Microsphere-based homogeneous assays provideunprecedented sensitivity and flexibility for detecting low concentration samples in comparison with traditional heterogeneous assay formats. In Phase I, we will design, fabricate and test a DEP-based sample collector and a microsphere-based immunoassayplatform. Phase II will involve overall system integration, fabrication and testing with CBW simulants. Further ensuring success, CFDRC has assembled a multidisciplinary team, which includes experts in collector/sampler design, MEMS/microfabrication,system integration, biosensing and chem-bio warfare. An integrated, microfabricated biosensor sampler will allow for monitoring of aerosolized biological particles coupled with high selectivity, high sensitivity assays for detection of toxic bioagents. A portable, low-cost device that can be used on aroutine basis, will beneficially impact several existing and emerging global markets encompassing areas of national security, public health care, HVAC, food processing, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, etc.