The overall object of this research is to develop a miniature, machine-independent, quantitative diagnostic device for plasma cholesterol, that is suitable for cholesterol determination in the home of the doctor's office. The specific research proposed for Phase 1 deals with combining a previously developed cholesterol- specific analog-to-digital chemical color switch with cholesterol esterase activity, to build a reaction matrix that will act on lipoprotein cholesterol esters as well as free cholesterol in lipoprotein particles. Optimization of the system using the sequential simplex method will also be undertaken. Phase I is intended to demonstrate the feasibility of building the cholesterol diagnostic device, based on the a/d color switch. Subsequent phases will reduce the wet chemistry to a dry format, and produce prototype devices.
