SBIR Phase I: New Electrogenerated Chemoluminescence (ECL) Approach for High-Sensitivity, Hand-Held DNA Assay System for Security and Healthcare Applications

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I research project is to develop and integrate a novel electrogenerated chemoluminescence (ECL)-based detection method into a handheld microfluidic bioanalyzer targeted ultimately at point-of-care and point-of-need in-vitro diagnostics for health care and safety/security applications. The detection method, which converts molecular redox events into optical signals, has low power requirements and needs no ancillary components such as an excitation laser or a potentiostat. Relative to existing ECL assays, the key innovation in this project is that the analyte-specific label and signal-generating reporter are two separate molecules in different spatial locations. The signal is generated by electronically coupling these two molecules using microfluidic and electronic circuitry integrated within a consumable fluidic cartridge, which also accepts the sample and admixes the assay reagents. The commercial application of this project will be to make available a low-power, lightweight, high-sensitivity handheld bioanalyzer. This bioanalyzer will enable multiplexed nucleic acid assays, addressing needs of the healthcare industry, and defense and security agencies.