This project will develop radical polymerization-based techniques for amplification of biomolecular recognition events, specifically olignucleotide hybridization, such that detection of these events will be more facile, highly parallel, feasible at reduced event threshold concentrations, and detectable with an inexpensive detector. Radical polymerizations afford a unique opportunity to amplify biomolecular recognition events since each initiation event leads to the polymerization of a large number of vinyl groups. When initiation is, in space or time, coupled to the oligonucleotide recognition event, polymerization of highly absorptive moieties provide means for amplification and subsequent detection by absorption, enabling the design of a simple, portable detector.
This award is supported jointly by the NSF and the Intelligence Community. The Approaches to Combat Terrorism Program in the Directorate for Mathematics and Physical Sciences supports new concepts in basic research and workforce development with the potential to contribute to national security.
