A simple, rapid means for identifying the microbial or viral pathogen causing disease would allow for early and effective treatment and preventive measures for humans found in situations without ready access to advanced diagnostic facilities and expertise (e.g., nasa crew members, field soldiers and… More

The implants field or "spare-parts medicine" is a young (ca.25 years) health care activity requiring intensive input from engineers and materials scientists, as well as medical doctors. the all-purpose synthetic which can be used for all medical purposes has not been found. biomaterials are needed… More

Drug abuse with its potential for drug overdose poisonings, both accidental and intentional, is a major national health problem which is rapidly on the rise. contributing factors for this increase are both economic (e.g., unemployment) andmore importantly from a long term standpoint, the rapid… More

The implants field or "spare-parts medicine" is a young (ca. 25 years) health care activity requiring intensive input from engineers and materials scientists, as well as medical doctors. the all-purpose synthetic which can be used for all medical purposes has not been found. biomaterials are needed… More

The rapid development of biotechnology has made it imperative to detect biohazards which may be encountered ini strategic areas of air force operations. the release of biological/chemical warfare agents in a deep base would present a significant threat. in phase i of this proposal, we will develop a… More

Plant pathogens cost producers, processors and users several billion dollars per year in yield and quality losses and control costs. economical and easy to use assay kits for the early detection and identification of pathogenic viruses and microbes, will permit large reductions in crop losses… More

The rapid increase in the number of chlamydial infections and the severe complications associated with this disease in humans has made it imperative to detect these agents in body fluids. the unique life cycle and characteristics of the chlamydial agents in general present a significant health… More

A project is proposed to develop techniques for stabilization of proteins by covalent crosslinking. we plan to use monoclonal antibody specific for t-2 toxin as the primary protein to use for developing stabilization technology. using ligand stabilization to decrease inactivation during the… More

Much attention has been focused upon the possible use of toxic biological agents in both southeast asia and afganistan. such incidents indicate a need for improving the united states capability to accurately detect these toxins at levels well below those lethal to humans.one of the most common… More

A project is proposed to develop an ultrasensitive enzyme immunoassay for specific viruses that is expected to be more sensitive than any currently existing technology for that purpose. this proposed assay involves virus-triggered release of microencapsulated enzyme. the assay is noncompetitive… More

The convenience and optical advantages of contact lenses are producing a growing market for both the extended-wear and daily-wear products. a need remains for improvements in the biocompatibility of both contact (especially long-wear) and intraocular lenses. in many users, the long-wear contact… More

The development of immunoassays for screening and monitoringcancer patients and the preparation of targeted immunochemo-therapeutic agents has become an intense area of research. rapid advances in monoclonal antibody technology have made possible the development of these immunoassays. it is accepted… More

The purpose of this research is to develop an assay for bordetella pertussis from nasopharyngeal or throat swabs to screen young children with severe respiratory infections andolder children and adults who have had contact with the disease. although vaccines have reduced the number of reported… More

Traditional methods of diagnosis of viral infections have been predominantly based upon isolation of viruses from infected tissues or excretions, propagation of the viruses in cell cultures, then identification of the virus by detection of serum antibodies against the virus. these methods of viral… More

This project proposes to develop and demonstrate the feasibility of an enzyme immunoassay suitable for use for personal monitoring of exposure to toxic agents. techniquesare proposed whereby it is anticipated that toxic chemicals can be bound directly from the vapor phase onto semidry immobilized… More

Much attention has been focused on the use of illicit drugs by people from all facets of life. one of the most popular drugs now used in society is cocaine. the drug is being used by people from all segments of society, including blue-and white-collar workers, military personnel, professional… More

A feasibility demonstration plan is proposed for the affinity immobilization of non-consummable components of a homogeneous enzyme immunoassay system, in a functional arrangement with one another on a silica-based sensor surface. the biomembrane chemical sensor device to be developed therefrom, is… More

Intraocular lens implants have returned vision to many cataract patients. these implants provide visual acuity without the distortion or magnification that can result fromwearing thick-lensed spectacles or contact lenses. however,as with all other implantable devices, there are problems with the… More

Serious attention has been focused on the use of illicit drugs by americans in all walks of life. one of the most abused drugs for over two decades has been marijuana, which is now being used by blue- and white-collar workers, military personnel, professional athletes, and high school students.… More

Bio-metric systems, inc. proposes to develop a semiquantitative, nonlaboratory enzyme immunoassay that is expected to be sensitive, rapid, and convenient to use. this immunoassay will require no instrumentation and is expected to have a single-step protocol: simply dip the apparatus in the sample,… More

Inositol trisphosphate (ip3) has recently been shown to stimulate ca(2+) release in a variety of cell types and, therefore, mediates such processes as muscle contraction, hormone secretion, and liver metabolism. in order to investigate the mechanism of ip3 action and to develop therapeutic drugs… More

A large number of toxins (such as paralytic shellfish toxins, tetrodotoxin, and bactrachotoxin) are potentially lethal contaminants in seafood samples. these toxins are known to act by altering the conductance properties of a well-characterized sodium channel found in muscles and nerves. in this… More

Scientific and regulatory considerations dictate that many vaccines and genetically engineered proteins for use in in humans are best produced in mammalian cell lines derived from non-malignant sources. these cells usually require a surface upon which to grow, and several bioreactor configurations… More

Considerable attention has been focused upon the possible use of toxic biological agents in both southeast asia and afghanistan. such reported incidents indicate a need for improving the united states' capability of accurately detecting a variety of naturally occurring toxins. one such toxin of… More

Aflatoxins are naturally occurring fungal metabolites detected in agricultural products that can have adverse effects on humans and animals. a definite demand exists fora rapid, simple, and inexpensive test kit for aflatoxin b1 detection in both the animal and human food industries as well as… More

The development of miniature dialysis tubing that can be implanted within the body will make possible in vivo collection of short half-life metabolites within the interstitial fluid from animals and ultimately humans. however, before safe implantation of tubing can be done, thebiocompatibilities of… More

Reagents and reaction procedures will be developed during phase i for the coupling of antibody molecules to the activated surface of microchip capacitance sensors. proprietary photoaffinity reagents will be synthesized and coupled to the electrode surface for specific covalent binding of monoclonal… More

Monitoring environmental samples for various pesticides and other hazardous chemicals has become necessary inorder to protect the populace from the carcinogenic and toxic effectsof these materials. there is considerable concern regardingthe possibility of the materials becoming incorporated in foods… More

Recently, much attention has been focused on the use of illicit and/or designer drugs by people from all facets of american life. one of the most popular of the designer drugs are the fentanyls which are very potent and very difficult to detect in biological fluids. these potent drugs are being used… More

A project is proposed to develop new stabilization techniques for immobilized enzymes used in bioreactors. this technique, which has been demonstrated to significantlystabilize an enzyme to storage at elevated temperatures, will be further developed and applied to stabilization of functioning… More

Colon cancer remains a major medical challenge in terms of incidence, detection, and cure. the most pressing aspect ofthe problem is the relatively high mortality rate of 50 percent, due primarily to the late detection of the disease. research has detected the presence of potent mutagens in feces,… More

Many life-saving procedures now require the insertion of long-dwelling percutaneous catheters (i.e., several types ofvascular catheters and peritoneal dialysis catheters). ideally, these catheters should be both compatible with the tissues they encounter and provide an effective barrier at the… More

Enzyme deficiencies associated with inborn metabolic defectsare usually fatal within the first few years of life. treatments such as diet manipulation, gene replacement therapy, chemotherapy, transfusions, transplantations, and peritoneal dialysis have produced marginal improvements in these… More

No adequate small diameter vascular prostheses are now commercially available, with the major reasons for loss of patency being thrombus formation and neointimal fibrous hyperplasia. also, grafts are often the site of chronic infections. this proposed feasibility study expects to improve the… More

Infections are the most serious complication of medical devices. a high incidence of infection is associated with all devices, including contact lenses, catheters, dialysis materials, and cardiovascular implants. infections are treated as they occur, but prevention is the most promising approach to… More

This project will develop a method for use in nonlaboratory enzyme immunoassay detection kits that will use modified antibody for extracting hydrophobic chemicals (analytes) from a lipid or oil phase in a sample without the use of flammable or toxic solvents. the concept is to covalently couple a… More

This research will develop methods to simultaneously immobilize and covalently cross-link antibodies or antigens onto polystyrene tubes or microtiter plates. the covalentlyimmobilized antibodies will be stabilized by multipoint coupling to hydrophilic polymers on the polystyrene surface. thus, the… More

A project is proposed to develop a biosensor for measuring pathogenic microorganisms in water by measuring changes in conductance across microporous, polycarbonate membrane coate with specific antibodies. the membranes will be coated with hydrophilic polymers using photochemical coupling. antibodies… More

Currently used urinary catheters produce pain upon insertion, injure adjacent tissue, and cause high rates of bacterial infections. these adverse effects are mediated byundesirable surface properties of the catheter polymers. this phase i project will utilize photoimmobilization technology to… More

Immobilization of biomolecules results in great losses of specific activities of the immobilized moieties. the use of hydrophilic spacers between the biomolecules and the matrix results in improved activities. however, facile introduction of such spacers onto many insoluble supports isdifficult… More

The goal of this project is to demonstrate the benefit of utilizing photochemistry as a generic method for introducingbonded, slippery coatings to medical devices. it is anticipated that this approach will be superior to current methods. this technology will be used to prepare surfaces that are… More

Numerous anchorage-dependent cells show improved attachment,improved growth, and reduced serum requirements when cultured on surfaces coated with extracellular matrix components (ecm's). the major active proteins in ecm's are fibronectin, laminin, and type iv collagen. most of the cell adhesion… More

Prosthetic devices are routinely implanted in patients; however, an estimated 850,000 cases of implantation infections occur in the united states each year. the infectious organisms are most likely to be introduced at thetime of surgery. currently, infections resulting from implantation are treated… More

The use of tobacco products with all its deleterious effectsupon the general health of our populace was and still is a major health problem. although the number of smokers has decreased over the last decade, smokers are smoking more cigarettes and adolescents are using not only cigarettes butalso… More

The immobilization of biologically active molecules on support matrices has many applications in biotechnology. passive adsorption of biomolecules (both hydrophobic and ionic) to polymeric matrices is the least complicated method of immobilization; however, many biochemicals do not adsorb well to… More

All polymers used for implant devices that contact blood arethrombogenic, and no current surface treatments are satisfactory. this project proposes to use a recently characterized peptide, hirudin, to develop a superior antithrombic surface treatment. hirudin is one of the most potent antithrombic… More

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assary (elisa) is a major tool for detecting infectious agents, proteins, and drugs in biological fluids, or contaminants in environmental samples. the majority of elisa's are designed to detect a single analyte. we propose here to develop a three-enzyme elisa system… More

The concept of photoaffinity immobilization of specific binding proteins has been patented and reduced to practice with antibody on glass by this company. the development of additional reagents and reaction procedures is proposed for the affinity coupling (covalent) of receptor molecules (especially… More

A project is proposed to develop a biosensor for measuring pathogenic microorganisms in water by measuring changes in conductance across microporous, polycarbonate membrane coate with specific antibodies. the membranes will be coated with hydrophilic polymers using photochemical coupling. antibodies… More

Currently, about 10% of the hospital patients in the united states receive in-dwelling urinary catheters, and these catheters lead to over 400,000 cases per year of catheter-associated urinary tract infections. in addition, these catheters irritate urethral surfaces, causing pain upon insertion,… More

We will develop and demonstrate the feasibility of an enzymeimmunoassay format capable of simultaneously detecting and identifying any one or more of multiple drugs in blood from a finger prick. the eventual goal is to develop a screeningtest device having a built-in sampler which would allow the… More

The long-term objective of this project is to improve the surface properties of artificial cornea overlay implants foruse in refractive surgical procedures. this will be done bycovalently immobilizing cell adhesion proteins to these lenses to promote epithelialization over the synthetic materials.… More

All synthetic materials that contact blood experience problems with blood compatibility. the rapid adsorption of plasma proteins and subsequent adherence and activation of platelets leads to thrombus formation. when patients are implanted with vascular devices or undergo hemodialysis procedures,… More

The selection of a polymer for use in a biomedical application is based upon the physical characteristics of the polymer such as strength and flexibility and upon the biocompatibility of the material with tissue. it is frequently the case that compromises must be made between these two potentially… More

Polymer-based inplantable devices, such as urinary tract catheters, intraocular lenses, vascular grafts, and pacemaker leads comprise 80% of all non-orthopedic implantable devices, and the number is expected to increase in the future. unfortunately, polymer surfaces are inherently subject to… More

The most common problem with current breast prostheses is the development of a contractile fibrous capsule. capsular contracture produces breast hardining, pain, and distortion of the breast shape. this phase i project will combine two types of prosthesis surface modifications to reduce capsule… More

The number of nucleic acids to membrane filters has provided a number of applications for molecular hybridization including the analysis of genome structure and function and diagnosis of infectious diseases and genetic disorders. the sensitivity and reproducibility of the hybridization reaction… More

Once thought to be a problem associated only with elite athletes, anabolic steroid abuse is now understood to permeate all levels of athletics, from high school to professional, and is growing in popularity among non-athletes as well. viewed in context of the substantial health risks associated with… More

We will develop reagents and methods for coating fabrics for use in medical applications; these fabrics will include surgical gowns and drapes that will protect both health care workers and patients from transmission of pathogens, such as HIV and hepatitis viruses. The methods will use… More

A project is proposed to develop reagents and methods for coating latex rubber devices to prevent leaching of allergenic proteins. Allergies to latex rubber proteins has become recognized as a serious problem in recent years. These allergic problems are partly due to increased exposure by medical… More

All synthetic materials which contact blood are thrombogenic and activate processes such as fibrin coagulation, platelet adhesion, and complement activation. Numerous investigations have been conducted to develop nonthrombogenic materials because of these observations. These include chemical… More

A project is proposed to develop reagents and methods for immobilizing receptors onto polysulfone microporous membranes used for affinity purification, by photoimmobilizing hydrophilic polymeric coupling reagents towhich the receptor will then be coupled. the technique is expected to increase the… More

The materials used currently in blood-contacting medical devices must be improved to reducethrombosis, embolization, complement activation, and device-centered infection. The long-term objectiveis to prepare surfaces which reduce thrombogenesis by mimicking the nonthrombogenic externalmembrane of… More

This project is designed to resolve a critical and enduring obstacle to the development of dependable biosenor systems for the timely detection of toxic and infectious agents. a passivated sensor surface will be developed that will associate uniquely with the specific binding protein in its crude… More

There are currently no rapid and reliable in vitro assays that measure the metastatic activity of cells. In this project, we will develop an improved Boyden chamber chemoinvasion assay. The Boyden chamber chemoinvasion assay will utilize Transwell¿ membranes with a defined basement membrane… More

Immunization has proven to be an effective method of protecting both military and cibilian populations from disease caused by bacterial, viral, or toxic agents. The U.S. military faces the problem of protecting its personnel from incapacitation caused by exposure to agents of both natural and… More

This proposal presents an approach to resolving a critical and enduring obstacle to developing biosfor the timely detection of toxic and infectious agents. We will develop a passivated sensor surfaceuniquely with the specific binding protein in its crude source solution and, upon activation by… More

We will improve the bonding of gingival tissue to osseointegrated dental implants by coating the peportion of implants with extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. ECM proteins, which will be covalentlytransgingival implant surfaces using patented BSI photochemistry, are expected to improve the… More

Successful photoimmobilization of active, stable heparinase on surface modified polymeric microsphean important technology for removal from blood of heparin required during hemodialysis. cardiopulmonvascular surgery. The availability of this technology for heparin removal would eliminate the… More

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus affects millions of persons in the U.S. Despite years of intenseffectiveness of current therapeutic regimens remains limited due to the difficulty of duplicating thealthy pancreas. A potential method of treating this disease is the transplantation of allogenic… More

There are currently no artificial polymeric vascular grafts with an internal diameter of less thanadequate long-term patency, with occlusion being due to a combination of thrombus formation and intiproject will improve the patency of such grafts by promoting rapid and stable transmural… More

Infections are becoming a significant problem associated with the use of most types of medical devithe need for biomaterials with antimicrobial properties has gotten increasingly more important. Theis to develop an antimicrobial surface coating for central venous catheters using BSI's… More

We will improve the fixation of non-cemented titanium hip prostheses by coating the porous surfacescollagens and growth factors. Two collagens (types I and IV) will be covalently coupled to the implapatented BSI photochemistry, and two growth factors will be non- covalently incorporated into each… More

We will evaluate four photoactivatable fatty acid analogs and three photoactivatable C16 alkylchain derivatives for their ability to derivatize to four representative biomaterials and subsequently adsorbhuman albumin. The research lists four Specific Aims. First, four photoactivatable fatty acid… More

We will develop reagents and methods for immobilizing receptors, including antibodies andStaphylococcal Protein A, onto membranes for affinity purifications, by photoimmobilizing hydrophilicpolymeric coupling reagents to which the receptors will then be coupled. Reagents and methods willincrease… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project is designed to optimize and extend the ultrathin coating technology demonstrated in the Phase I project, which is aimed at facile, cost-effective, and broadly applicable thin-film coatings for the passivation of biosensor and… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project is designed to optimize and extend the ultrathin coating technology demonstrated in the Phase I project, which is aimed at facile, cost-effective, and broadly applicable thin-film coatings for the passivation of biosensor and… More

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop new reagents subject to thermal activation for bonding water-soluble microbicidal polymers and surfactants to the lumen surface of a variety of opaque tubing materials at temperatures compatible with the plastics.… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Materials have been developed with bulk physical properties needed for medical devices functional in the human body. Major emphasis is now being placed on surface chemistry for implantable medical devices to provide biocompatibility with the… More

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project continues the development of new thermally activable reagents for bonding microbicidal polymers to inner surfaces of a variety of opaque tubing materials, initiated in Phase I under the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (AM) topic, Surface… More

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project continues the development of new thermally activable reagents for bonding microbicidal polymers to inner surfaces of a variety of opaque tubing materials, initiated in Phase I under the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (AM) topic, Surface… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Materials have been developed with bulk physical properties needed for medical devices functioning in the human body. Major emphasis is now being placed on surface chemistry for implantable medical devices to provide biocompatibility with the living tissue… More

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Materials have been developed with bulk physical properties needed for medical devices functioning in the human body. Major emphasis is now being placed on surface chemistry for implantable medical devices to provide biocompatibility with the living tissue… More