Researchers win 3 year grant to expand research into new sensor technology
Scientists at Wright State University (OH, USA) are to collaborate with researchers at Indiana University (IN, USA), Redondo Optics Inc. (CA, USA) and the University of Tennessee (TN, USA) on a project to develop a virus detection system, based on the resonant signatures of virus particles under gigahertz to terahertz radiation. The researchers have been awarded a US$625,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop the technology.
The system is based on research demonstrating that the capsid shells of certain viruses vibrate resonantly, and thus their presence in a sample could be detected by irradiating the sample and analyzing its signature in the electromagnetic spectrum. The sample is first immobilized to a nanofluidic chip; similar to microfluidic chips that are commonly used in bioanalysis studies. Analysis is performed using a terahertz spectrometer, which was first developed 6 years ago. Recently, a more compact field-deployable version has been developed.
The team hopes that the device, once marketed, will be employed at airports. As Elliot Brown (Wright State University) explains, “Ultimately, if we’re going to put these sensors in every airport in the USA, they have to be fieldable and affordable.” The team currently cost the instrument at approximately $50,000; however, after development they predict this dropping to below $20,000.
The team envisage that the device will be able to detect viruses within minutes, and explain that the technology allows detection of even very small concentrations of virus particles. Brown explains, “This is important because viruses are known to spread even at very low levels.”
The ultimate aim is that the device will allow detection of new virus strains before an outbreak, for instance when they enter a country at an airport. As Brown explains, “We would be monitoring viruses in near real-time. This technology will allow us to detect the presence of viruses like the flu before an outbreak. It will give us predictive capabilities.” Brown continues, “We’re going to turn back the clock and be able to predict the arrival of the flu, weeks ahead of time compared to what we can do today.”
In addition to predicting outbreaks, the technology may allow optimization of vaccine production, and provide important research into virus structure. Brown concludes, “This technology has the potential to revolutionize disease detection, vaccine R&D, disease monitoring and outbreaks of all sorts.”
– Written by Alice O’Hare
Source: Catching the bug – Wright State researchers developing virus-detection technology: http://webapp2.wright.edu/web1/newsroom/2013/09/19/catching-the-bug/
A team of scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (Potsdam, Germany) have developed a simple, inexpensive and reliable diagnostic test for the bacterium responsible for the plague, which although rare, is still reported around the world.
The team, led by Peter Seeberger, Director at the Max Plank Institute and Professor at the Freie Universität Berlin (Berlin, Germany), identified and synthesized an oligosaccharide structure on the surface of the bacteria, for it to serve as a specific antigen. The sugar molecule was subsequently bound to a protein to heighten the immunological response. Antibodies to the pathogen were then created via the resulting immune reaction in murine cells. The research resulted in highly selective antibodies, capable of detecting the plague bacteria without falsely responding to others closely related.
Previous detection of plague pathogens involved phenotyping or gene testing, but as methods, these were complex, slow and often had high failure rates. According to Seeberger, “These reliable tests are simple and economic to administer. Basic research has an intrinsic value, but in the field of glycomics, we are increasingly able to translate our research directly into application with practical value, very much like the value of our latest development has for the medical world.” The glycocongugates have the potential to be applied to test strips, acting as an antigen to the antibodies in the blood of infected patients.
– Written by Phoebe Heseltine
Sources: Anish C, Guo X, Wahlbrink A, Seeberger PH. Plague detection by anti-carbohydrate antibodies. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. Engl. 52(36), 9524–9528. (2013); A quick test for the Black Death: www.mpikg.mpg.de/1189718/news_publication_7475490?c=132305
Ventana Medical Systems Inc. (AZ, USA) and Boehringer Ingelheim (Ingelheim, Germany) have recently announced a collaboration for the development of companion diagnostic tests. The agreement will see the two companies developing tests for Boehringer Ingelheim oncology programs.
A member of the Roche group, Ventana, will support Boehringer Ingelheim’s personalized medicine program for cancer drug development by providing its immunohistochemistry technology platform and experience in companion diagnostic development.
Klaus Dugi, Corporate Senior Vice President of Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim stated, “We look forward to partnering with Ventana and accessing their significant capabilities and expertise in developing companion diagnostics that will complement our products to further advance the delivery of personalized healthcare solutions for patients.”
Over the past 10 years, Ventana has collaborated with more than 45 biopharmaceutical companies and is currently involved with over 150 projects for the development and commercialization of companion diagnostics. President of Ventana, Mara Aspinall commented, “We are pleased that Ventana’s commitment to enable personalized healthcare for patients worldwide was recognized by Boehringer Ingelheim when they selected Ventana to be a companion diagnostics development partner for their oncology programmes.”
– Written by Lisa Parks
Source: Ventana to collaborate with Boehringer Ingelheim on the development of companion diagnostic tests: www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/news/news_releases/press_releases/2013/19_september_2013collaboration.html
Agilent Technologies, Inc. (CA, USA) recently announced its separation into two separate traded companies. One company will retain the Agilent name and focus on life sciences, diagnostics and applied markets (LDA). The other will center on Agilent’s current portfolio of electronic measurement (EM) products.
“Agilent has evolved into two distinct investment and business opportunities, and we are creating two separate and strategically focused enterprises to allow each to maximize its growth and success,” commented William Sullivan, Agilent President and Chief Executive Officer.
As a result of the decision, Agilent shareholders will receive a pro-rata distribution of shares in the new EM company via a tax-free spinoff. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of 2014.
“Agilent’s history is one of reinvention, starting with our own separation from HP and including four major spinoffs since 2005. We are once again making a bold move, as we have done many times in the past, to ensure a future of sustainable growth for both the LDA and EM companies,” Sullivan added. “We are focused on making this transition seamless for our customers.”
– Written by Lisa Parks
Source: Agilent Technologies to separate into two industry-leading public companies: www.agilent.com/about/newsroom/presrel/2013/19sep-gp13016.html
Researchers from the FOM institute AMOLF (Utrecht, The Netherlands), have reported the first application of a highly sensitive detector to a commercial mass spectrometer, which produces images of protein ions during deposition and ionization. The team, led by Ron Heeren, applied the highly sensitive detector, termed Timepix-active pixel detector, to a conventional MALDI-TOF-MS.
The study involved adapting the Timepix-active pixel detector for protein analysis, previously this instrument had been used for high-energy physics. This was achieved by replacing a photon sensitive plate with a plate that could detect charged ions. The research reported ion acceleration voltages of up to 25 kV, which combined with the sensitive detector, allow detection of larger proteins.
As described in the research paper, previous systems used to detect proteins were limited due to the inability to detect singly charged ions with high m/z ratios. However, the detection technique developed by the team can reportedly detect ions as large as 400 kDa.
The developed technique can, therefore, be utilized for the detection of larger proteins, for example, the antibody IgG, which the team utilized their new technique to image. Previous studies on the same antibody using a conventional mass spectrometer had comparatively low sensitivity.
Heeren described the advantage of this new detection technique, “The advantage of the Timepix detector is that besides being able to measure more than 100-times more sensitively, you can also use it to make detailed images.” Heeren went on to explain, “With the detector, molecular flash photography has now become a mature technique.”
Written by Jessica Thorne
Sources: Ellis SR, Jungmann JH, Smith DF et al. Enhanced detection of high-mass proteins by using an active pixel detector. Ang. Chem. Int. 125(43), 11471–11474 (2013); New detection technique makes flash photos of proteins: www.fom.nl/live/english/news/archives/pressreleases2013/artikel.pag?objectnumber=235099