Molecular Metrology proposes to design and construct a x-ray diffraction instrument intended to determine the location of antioxidants in lipid membranes. The methodology is proven and is based on the measurement of differences in the electron density profile of drug-imbibed membranes vs. control samples. During the PHASE I period, Molecular Metrology will test the feasibility of a novel small-angle x-ray diffractometer design called Angular Dispersive X-ray Diffraction (ADiX), which has the advantage over other diffractometers in speed and ease of use. The purpose of the ADiX tool is to provide researchers, who are not necessarily experts in x-ray diffraction, a process for the rational screening of antioxidant potential of candidate drugs for the prevention of Alzheimer's disease and other age-related illnesses. At this time, there are no commercial instruments dedicated to membrane diffraction and structure determination, yet, in light of the demographics of aging, there would appear to be a strong need for such instrumentation in the pharmaceutical industry.
The proposed instrumentation will be a valuable research tool in the pharmaceutical industry for the rational determination of membrane activity for antioxidants used to prevent and control Alzheimer's disease and other age-related illnesses.
