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DESCRIPTION provided by applicant We propose to eliminate the time consuming manual plate readout for hemagglutination assays by developing an innovative well plate and associated optical reader capable of accurately and rapidly determining hemagglutination and associated titer values in a fully automated system The need for improved analytical tools for vaccine development and production is evidenced by the robust cross agency initiative to improve influenza vaccine manufacturing Influenza Vaccine Manufacturing Optimization Program which is a collaborative effort between NIH BARDA FDA and the CDC One identified problematic step in influenza vaccine development is the hemagglutination HA and hemagglutination inhibition HAI assays used to characterize influenza viruses Currently HA HAI assays are conducted in well plates which are read andquot by eyeandquot The user must evaluate each well and manually record a for hemagglutination and a for no hemagglutination While many of the liquid handling steps of assay preparation can be automated plate reading is exclusively manual since no commercially available plate readers can differentiate positive and negative hemagglutination InDevR has an excellent track record in translating innovative concepts into impactful products InDevR is a privately held biotechnology company located in Boulder Colorado that develops and commercializes breakthrough detection and quantification technologies for microbiological analysis Founded in by members of the Chemistry Department at the University of Colorado the company today has employees and has taken two products to market that are now being sold world wide InDevR conducts all research development and manufacturing activities in house PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE We propose to eliminate the time consuming manual plate readout for hemagglutination assays by developing an innovative well plate and associated optical reader capable of accurately and rapidly determining hemagglutination and associated titer values in a fully automated system