Invitrogen develops prototype hand-held biothreat detectors
Invitrogen Corporation has announced that its subsidiary, Invitrogen Federal Systems, under a US$3.9 million contract from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, successfully completed the development of a prototype hand-held device for the detection of multiple biothreat agents in a single sample.
The portable pathogen detection system prototype is able to detect multiple toxins such as ricin, staphylococcal entrotoxin, and botulinum toxin, as well as bacteria that cause anthrax, plague, and other diseases, in a single sample. The hand-held device uses proprietary detection chemistries, an array-based disposable flow cell, and novel microfluidic engineering techniques that provide for sensitive and rapid detection. The portable detector is intended for laboratory, first responder, and field-based operations.
The prototypes developed under this contract will be deployed to military laboratories for validation of the device in government testing.
Invitrogen's continued research on the project will be directed by James Meegan, senior director of r&d at Invitrogen, and is designed to support the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command's (USAMRMC) mission to provide solutions to medical problems of importance to soldiers at home and abroad.
"The protein arrays we are developing under this agreement and previous contracts will expedite the development of diagnostics, vaccines, and therapeutics and will help assess the level of protection and vulnerability of individuals and populations, both military and civilian, to threats by these specific biological agents.” said Meegan.