Application of Laser Three-Dimensional Processing to Biodevices

摘要

The objective of the program is to develop microfabrication methods and devices for biochemical assay - particularly of DNA-based diagnostics for the battlefield and the field hospital. The DoD requires many-order-of- magnitude reductions in the cost, size, sample volumes, drive voltage and assay time for biochemical sensors. There is currently an explosion in capability for precise determination of biological agents. This capability is, however, limited to labor-intensive methodology in the genetics laboratory or central hospital. The objective of the program is to extend this is capability to fieldable DoD operations though miniaturization and mass production of inexpensive integrated sensors. We target the principle DoD applications of rapid battlefield diagnostics for biological warfare and fieldable biomedical diagnostics. The medical community believes that medical diagnostics will evolve toward massive use of DNA diagnostics. The DoD will want to use current technology at remote sites, e.g., on board a ship, without large time delays. Miniaturization is motivated by the reduction in reagent costs as much as anything. As a benchmark, the cost of massive sequencing is currently approximately 50% in reagents at leading centers. A current reasonable extrapolation of the sequencing of 3 billion bases in the human genome at ten cents a base (we are now between ten cents and a dollar) would imply more than 100 million dollars spent on chemicals. The program outlined below is a collaborative effort between the MIT Research Laboratory for electronics, the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, and the Air Force Institute of Pathology. The MIT components are supported by AFOSR and DARPA. The motivations and current context of the program are discussed in more detail in Appendix A.