Multiple Assay Devices for Detection of Toxins and Pathogens

摘要

The purpose of this contract was to explore the application of the LightAddressable Potentiometric Sensor (LAPS) to the detection of CBW agents. The work comprised two major approaches to the detection problem. The first approach involved the use of the LAPS to perform rapid high sensitivity immunoassays. Feasibility for detection of bacteria, viruses and biotoxins was demonstrated. This effort has continued under CRDEC contract DAAA15-87-C-0003 to Environmental Technologies Group Inc. (subcontract to Molecular Devices). The second approach to biodetection involved the use of cellular receptors as generic toxin detectors. Initial efforts at placing membranes containing receptors directly on the LAPS were discontinued for several technical reasons. Efforts at using living cells in conjunction with the LAPS has proven very successful for the purpose of measuring receptor triggering. Detection has been demonstrated using receptors that function via all of the important second messenger pathways. This strategy for generic CBW detection shows great promise for further developement.