CHEMILUMINESCENCE IMMUNOASSAY FOR CANDIDA ANTIGENS

THE AIM OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEMONSTRATE AN IMMUNOMETRIC ASSAY FOR CANDIDA ANTIGEN (MANNAN) USING ACRIDINIUM ESTERS AS A CHEMILUMINESCENT LABEL. THIS WILL LEAD TO A TECHNIQUE FOR THE DETECTION OF FUNGAL ANTIGENS THAT REQUIRES HIGH SENSITIVITY, BY A METHOD THAT IS SIMPLER, SAFER, AND CHEAPERTHAN CONVENTIONAL METHODS. MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES TO CANDIDA MANNAN WILL BE PURIFIED AND CHARACTERIZED FOR THEIR USEFULNESS IN IMMUNOASSAYS. THEY WILL BE COVALENTLY LABELED WITH AN ACRIDINIUM ESTER TO A HIGH SPECIFIC ACTIVITY AND USED TO DEVELOP A SENSITIVE CHEMILUMINESCENCE ASSAY. THE ASSAY WILL BE OPTIMIZED AND COMPARED TO CURRENT METHODS. THE RESEARCH SHOULD PROVIDE AN ASSAY FOR SYSTEMIC CANDIDA INFECTION USING STABLE REAGENTS. THE ASSAY WILL DEMONSTRATE HIGH SPECIFICITY OBTAINED BY USING MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES AND SENSITIVITY FROM THE CHEMILUMINESCENCE TECHNIQUE. THIS WILL LEAD TO PHASE II RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND PRODUCTION OF A COMMERCIAL CLINICAL TRIALS. CHEMILUMINESCENCE ASSAY, PROTOTYPE INSTRUMENT DESIGN AND TO