SBIR-STTR Award

The aim of this project is to extend application of a novel `liquid array' platform, based on Encoded Sortable Particle (ESP) technology, into the protein assay realm. ESPs are optically-encoded microfabricated particles that can be manipulated using magnetic force. We will adapt our ESP-based liquid array system, which has already been successfully applied in the DNA space, to incorporate antibody-based protein detection assays in Phase I, and we will extend the scope of protein assay coverage in Phase II. Phase I will consist of a 6-plex cytokine detection analysis, while Phase II is intended to accommodate assays of 1000-plex or more. In the protein space the ESP platform has significant advantages in cost, throughput, scalability, ease of use, and flexibility over existing bead-based liquid array and fixed array platforms. ESP technology has broad applicability and should be a valuable tool in the diagnosis, prognosis, and characterization of a variety of disease states, including cancer, heart disease, arthritis and inflammatory diseases, kidney disease, liver disease, allergic responses, and infectious diseases (e.g. HIV).

Public Health Relevance:
ESP technology as applied to the protein assay space will provide a broad platform for many different kinds of assays. The ESP platform is intrinsically versatile, and has the potential to be used in basic biomedical research, as well as high-throughput discovery and clinical diagnostics. The ability to control the particles magnetically (in a manner significantly different from magnetic beads) is a significant advantage. This technology should be useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of a variety of disease states, including cancer, heart disease, arthritis and inflammatory diseases, kidney disease, and infectious diseases (e.g. HIV).

Thesaurus Terms:
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The aim of this project is to develop and optimize our novel particle-based microarray platform, ArrayableESP, for application to high multiplex (50- to 2000-plex) proteomic analysis of human serum samples. ESPs are optically-encoded microfabricated particles that can be manipulated using magnetic force. They are manufactured on commercially available photolithographic equipment using efficient and robust techniques borrowed from the semi-conductor industry. They have significant advantages in cost throughput, scalability, and flexibility over existing bead-based liquid array platforms. We will use aptamers, instead of antibodies, on our platform, which will eliminate the need for sample pre-labeling/pre-processing and allow for a parallel method of homogeneous detection following protein binding. The combination of the ArrayableESP platform with aptamers is expected to increase accuracy of analysis and result in a simplified workflow. Such attributes, in combination with the nearly unlimited multiplex potential offered by the ArrayableESP platform, will provide a multiplex product with significant advantages over currently available technologies for proteomic analysis. ESP technology has broad applicability and should be a valuable tool in the diagnosis, prognosis, and characterization of a variety of disease states, including cancer, heart disease, arthritis and inflammatory diseases, kidney disease, liver disease, allergic responses, and infectious diseases (e.g. HIV).

Public Health Relevance:
Efficient high multiplexed genomic analysis has been achieved by others. Analysis of the proteome is expected to be the next important component of biological analysis for improving human health. Current methods for multiplex proteomic analysis are either unable to perform greater than 30-plex analysis, or at high multiplex require processes that result in inaccurate analysis with inefficient workflows. We are developing a cost-effective technology for low to high multiplex proteomic analysis with significant advantages over current comparable technologies. This technology should be useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of a variety of disease states, including cancer, heart disease, arthritis and inflammatory diseases, kidney disease, and infectious diseases (e.g. HIV).

Thesaurus Terms:
Aids Virus; Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus; Antibodies; Aptamer Technology; Assay; Atrophic Arthritis; Basic Research; Basic Science; Binding; Binding (Molecular Function); Binding Proteins; Bioassay; Biologic Assays; Biological; Biological Assay; Blood Serum; Cancers; Cardiac Diseases; Cardiac Disorders; Cell Communication And Signaling; Cell Signaling; Chemistry; Clinical; Code; Coding System; Communicable Diseases; Detection; Development; Diagnosis; Disease; Disorder; Equipment; Expression Profiling; Expression Signature; Forecast Of Outcome; Genomics; Hiv; Htlv-Iii; Health; Heart Diseases; Hepatic Disorder; Human; Human Immunodeficiency Viruses; Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type Iii; Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type Iii; Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type Iii; Human, General; Imagery; Industry; Infectious Disease Pathway; Infectious Diseases; Infectious Diseases And Manifestations; Infectious Disorder; Inflammatory Arthritis; Intracellular Communication And Signaling; Kidney Diseases; Lav-Htlv-Iii; Label; Ligand Binding Protein; Liquid Substance; Liver Diseases; Lymphadenopathy-Associated Virus; Magnetism; Malignant Neoplasms; Malignant Tumor; Man (Taxonomy); Man, Modern; Methods; Methods And Techniques; Methods, Other; Modeling; Molecular Fingerprinting; Molecular Interaction; Molecular Profiling; Nephropathy; Nucleic Acids; Performance; Phase; Preparation; Process; Prognosis; Protein Array Analyses; Protein Array Analysis; Protein Array Assay; Protein Binding; Proteins; Proteome; Proteomics; Protocol; Protocols Documentation; Reagent; Renal Disease; Reproducibility; Rheumatoid Arthritis; Sampling; Science Of Chemistry; Serum; Shapes; Signal Transduction; Signal Transduction Systems; Signaling; Surface; System; System, Loinc Axis 4; Techniques; Technology; Testing; Virus-Hiv; Visualization; Allergic Response; Aptamer; Base; Biological Signal Transduction; Computerized Data Processing; Cost; Cost Effective; Data Processing; Design; Designing; Develop Software; Developing Computer Software; Disease/Disorder; Experiment; Experimental Research; Experimental Study; Flexibility; Fluid; Gene Product; Heart Disorder; Hepatopathy; Improved; Kidney Disorder; Liquid; Liver Disorder; Magnetic; Malignancy; Manufacturing Process; Meetings; Molecuar Profile; Molecular Signature; Neoplasm/Cancer; Novel; Outcome Forecast; Particle; Protein Expression; Protein Profiling; Prototype; Public Health Relevance; Renal Disorder; Research Study; Signal Processing; Software Development; Tool