Award Abstract #0232277
SBIR Phase I: Fluorescence-Amplified Nana-Assembly for Sensing Bio-Toxins

NSF Org:	IIP Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships
Initial Amendment Date:	November 25, 2002
Latest Amendment Date:	June 27, 2003
Award Number:	0232277
Award Instrument:	Standard Grant
Program Manager:	T. James Rudd IIP Division of Industrial Innovation and Partnerships ENG Directorate for Engineering
Start Date:	January 1, 2003
Expires:	September 30, 2003 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$99912
Investigator(s):	Winston Ho winstonho@maxwellsensors.com (Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	MAXWELL SENSORS INC. 10020 PIONEER BLVD., SUITE 103 SANTA FE SPRINGS, CA 90670 562/801-2088
NSF Program(s):	SMALL BUSINESS PHASE I
Field Application(s):	0308000 Industrial Technology
Program Reference Code(s):	AMPP, 9163, 1788
Program Element Code(s):	5371

ABSTRACT

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to develop a novel functional

nanostructure for detection/identification of biological warfare agents (BWA). A new class of

fluorescence-amplified nano-assembly (FLAN) is proposed for real-time, selective, and ultra-

sensitive BWAs and toxins assays. The basic concept of this technology is to mimic the cell

membrane under certain organisms and toxins initially attack. Living cells quickly recognize and

selectively respond towards invasion. The FLAN using three key elements for target detection: 1)

molecular recognition, 2) fluorescence transduction, and 3) fluorescence amplification, to

provide simple and direct fluorescent assay. The molecular receptors recognize the BWA;

the binding causes a change in the local ternary structure, and which leads to an amplified

fluorescent structure that can be quantified optically. The synthetic nanostructures exhibit

bioactivities and high stability. The BWA-FLAN receptor binding is a rapid one-step reaction; it

does not require complicate separation and washing steps, labeled fluorophore, or visualization

reagents.



During the Phase I project, the investigator will design and synthesize functional nanostructures with BWA-

specific receptors, develop FLAN molecular assembly, develop fluorescence sensing system,

characterize, test, and evaluate its technical merits. Highly selective and sensitive molecular

recognition is important throughout biology, biotechnology, and clinical diagnostics.



COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS



Homeland and civilian defense applications include medical diagnostic of pathogens and diseases

as well as non-medical contamination avoidance sensors for biological terrorism agents. The

proposed nanostructure-based assays could be easily adapted to targets of interest to the medical

community, environmental and agricultural testing, and food industry and used in conjunction

with the portable reader for diagnostics in clinical or hospital setting.

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