Funded Projects

Point Detection of Pathogens in Oral Samples via UPT

Grant Number: 1U01DE014964-01
PI Name: Daniel Malamud
PI E-mail: daniel.malamud@nyu.edu
PI Title: Professor of Basic Science
Institution: New York University

345 East 24th Street (904S)
New York, NY 10010
College of Dentistry
Project Start: 30-Sep-2002
Project End: 30-Jun-2006

Abstract

A multidisciplinary group of scientists from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and the School for Engineering and Applied Sciences have joined with investigators from OraSure Technologies, the dominant company in salivary diagnostics, to generate this application. We propose to develop a novel, oral-based system, designed for use in the diagnoses of multiple infectious diseases The technology platform will permit the simultaneous analyses of viral and/or bacterial antigens and nucleic acids, as well as antibodies to these pathogens. The project focuses on HIV and antibodies to HIV, but is applicable to detection of any infectious disease including those associated with agents of bioterrorism. The proposal is organized into three research areas. (1) Sample Acquisition, (2) Microfluidic Processing of the Oral Sample, and (3) Analyte Detection utilizing Up-converting Phosphor Technology (UPT). The fundamental UPT system exists, and has been used to quantitate drugs of abuse, antibodies to pathogens, and nucleic acids. We now present a plan to combine these separate analyses into a single system that can be used on-site to analyze up to 200 target analytes.