This is a SBIR Phase II project. The objective of this research is to develop an imaging system for screening DNA libraries. Genome research is one of the most active research areas in biology today, and an improved way to analyze DNA libraries will be useful. The research plan is to utilize a new nuclear detector to generate a real time image of the distribution of radioactivity on the transfer membrane containing DNA samples. The image will be directly projected onto the primary agar plate. In the Phase I project, a new large area imaging instrument prototype has been developed using two orthogonal arrays of scintillating fibers, each coupled to a position-sensitive photomultiplier tube. In the Phase II project, research will focus on improving the performance of the prototype and designing the ways of increasing area. If successful, the new device will improve the efficiency and precision of the identification and isolation of genes.
