In the Phase I feasibility study for this research program we successfully constructed and tested a prototype NanoArrayer. The goal of this Phase II proposal is to construct and test a second generation NanoArrayerTM. This device will be capable of positioning molecules on a solid surface with nanometer scale domain sizes and resolution. The NanoArrayer II will include a sophisticated force feedback mechanism for the deposition tool, a sample source positioning system to allow facile deposition of multiple molecular species from pre-configured molecular microarrays, and more robust and embellished software, including an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI). Several types of NanoArray assays will be developed, focusing on immunodiagnostic applications. The NanoArrayer device and the NanoArray tests developed in Phase II of this program will provide significant advantages over existing methods for evaluating molecular interactions, including vast reductions in materials usage through miniaturization, real time data acquisition, and a label-free assay environment. This technology has broad commercial applicability, with key target areas including immunodiagnostics, protein-protein interactions (proteomics), and drug discovery. A significant commercialization effort will commence during phase II and escalate in Phase III of this technology development and implementation program.
Commercial applications include screening for large number of protein-protein interactions for proteomic analysis, multiplexed immunodiagnostics, and rapid, label free drug candidate evaluation in large molecular libraries.
