Rapid determination of complement activation in the battlefield

The objective of this program is to develop an antibody microarray to facilitate the rapid evaluation of complement activation in injured personnel in the battlefield. Soldiers in the battlefield may sustain multiple types of injury, including trauma, hemorrhage, shock, ischemia, burn, and exposure to toxic substances. These conditions are associated with varying degrees of complement activation, which in turn may lead to further deterioration, if left untreated. Moreover, complement is central to normal physiological defenses against microbial infections, and knowledge of the extent of complement activation will aid in determining its proportional inhibition. The proposed antibody microarray would aid the health care professional to evaluate various parameters in injured personnel, including the extent of complement activation, the specific complement pathway that is activated, whether complement inhibitors should be administered, the type of inhibitor to administer, depending on the complement pathway involved, and the dose of inhibitor to be administered. At EIC Laboratories we have developed methods for fabricating immunological electrode sensors based on antibodies immobilized in a hydrous 3-dimensional iridium oxide matrix. In the Phase I program we will construct a prototype antibody array for the electrochemical detection of two different complement proteins.