Microarray Chips for Rapid Detection of High Affinity Nucleic Acid Sequences.

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This Phase II project aims at further advancing and commercializing a microarray-based screening approach, for discovering nucleic acid probes that have high affinity and high specificity for protein and cellular target s. Oligonucleotides discovered in these screens can be engineered into sensors having exquisite sensitivity and selectivity for drug development, environmental sensing and POC-diagnostics; areas currently dominated by antibody based technologies. In Phase II we plan to pursue protein targets that are relevant to each of these market segments, in an effort streamline the commercialization process and establish a broad product portfolio. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The Combigen screening process being fur ther developed in this phase II project will create molecular probes that specifically bind protein based targets. These probes will find applications in environmental sensing, point-of-care diagnostics and drug therapies.