BIOPROCESSING CELLS FROM BLOOD USING BR-FF AND HGMS

THE LONG TERM OBJECTIVE IS TO DEVELOP A NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR INDUSTRY SCALE AFFINITY SEPARATIONS EMPLOYING PROPRIETARY BIO-RECEPTOR FERROFLUIDS (BR-FF) IN COMBINATION WITH EXISTING CONTINUOUS HIGH GRADIENT MAGNETIC SEPARATORS (HGMS) AND IMPROVED SYSTEMS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED. BR-FF ARE BEING USED WITH HGMS SUCCESSFULLY FOR DOING IMMUNOASSAYS AND TOGETHER THEY REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN THE FIELD OFFERING NUMEROUS ADVANTAGES OVER PRIOR SYSTEMS. THE SPECIFIC AIMS ARE TO DETERMINE IF BR-FF AS CURRENTLY SYNTHESIZED OR AS SYNTHESIZED BY RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD MODIFICATION CAN WITHSTAND THE RIGORS OF DESORPTION (LOW PH, DENATURANTS, KAOTROPIC IONORS (HGMS) AND IMPROVED SYSTEMS CURRENTLY BEING DEVELOPED. BR-FF ARE BEING USED WITH HGMS SUCCESSFULLY FOR DOING IMMUNOASSAYS AND TOGETHER THEY REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN THE FIELD OFFERING NUMEROUS ADVANTAGES OVER PRIOR SYSTEMS. THE SPECIFIC AIMS ARE TO DETERMINE IF BR-FF AS CURRENTLY SYNTHESIZED OR AS SYNTHESIZED BY RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD MODIFICATION CAN WITHSTAND THE RIGORS OF DESORPTION (LOW PH, DENATURANTS, KAOTROPIC IONS) AND RECYCLING. AFFINITY SEPARATIONS CURRENTLY PLAY A MINOR ROLE IN BIOPROCESSING IN PART BECAUSE OF COST AND THE NATURE OF AFFINITY SUPPORTS (PARTICLES OR MEMBRANES) WHICH ARE CONSTRAINED TO BATCH MODE AND ULTRA CLEAN SOLUTIONS. BR-FF AND HGMS OFFERS THE POTENTIAL FOR CONTINUOUS AFFINITY SEPARATION WHICH CAN FUNCTION IN THE PRESENCE OF MAJOR SOLUTION CONTAMINANTS INCLUDING SOLIDS; THUS A NEW BIOPROCESSING TECHNOLOGY WHICH ALSO REQUIRES SIGNIFICANTLY LESS PROCESSING STEPS IS POSSIBLE.