General Competition (March 1997)

A Portable Genetic Analysis System

Sponsor: Nanogen, Inc.

• Project Performance Period: 5/1/1997 - 9/30/1999
• Total project (est.): $3,935,255.00
• Requested ATP funds: $2,000,000.00

Nanogen's project is to overcome technical barriers standing in the way of a portable genetic analysis system that can rapidly and accurately profile a genetic sequence. Typical target applications would include forensic analysis, battlefield casualty identification, and trauma victim identification. The system also would have broad applicability in detecting pathogens for medical diagnostics, epidemiology, and environmental and health monitoring. It will be able to extract the DNA relevant to the identification process from a sample of blood or tissue with minimal preparation, fragment and separate the appropriate nucleic acids, and assay the fragments to identify the genetic polymorphisms unique to the individual's genetic code. The proposed system incorporates a disposable fluidics module to handle initial sample preparation; a sample purification module to separate and purify the sample DNA; an integrated assay chip; and a multichip detection and control module to analyze the assay results. Nanogen is developing the generic technology for sample handling under a separate ATP project awarded in 1995, and the assay chip is a core Nanogen technology. The current project builds on these capabilities by significantly increasing the size and complexity of the Nanogen assay chip to handle large numbers of genetic polymorphisms; developing the complex microfluidics system needed to accept the raw sample, extract the DNA and transport the DNA fragments to the assay module; and doing the systems integration necessary to make a practical prototype to illustrate the feasibility of this approach.

For project information:

Tina Nova, (619) 546-7700
tnova@nanogen.com

ATP Project Manager

Thomas Wiggins, (301) 975-5416
thomas.wiggins@nist.gov