Project Title:

Detection of Biomolecular Interactions

Professor Rick Haselton

Brief Description of Project:

Patterns of gene expression and protein profiles are currently revolutionizing the understanding of biology and disease and are likely to become important diagnostic and prognostic tools. Once these patterns are established, methods to detect them will be required. We have designed a platform which rapidly matches the characteristics of an unknown sample with established expression or protein profiles. The approach combines computer controlled testing for pattern features with adaptive feedback to increase sensitivity and reliability. We currently think it will have greatest utility in identifying established patterns described in terms of the concentrations of 100s to 1000s of key molecular structures. Current biorecognition strategies are inefficient. We have designed a more efficient biorecognition platform. In this design, probes are arranged on a filament and moved through nanoliter reaction zones for biorecognition testing, processing, and analysis. The micron scale dimensions enable rapid and complete target-probe interactions. The flexible and adaptive features of this design permit tailoring reaction conditions specifically to optimize each capture probe-target interaction. In this project, we plan we further development of this new tool for the identification of patterns present in gene expression or protein profiles enabling these profiles to be fully utilized for diagnostic and prognostic purposes.

Nature of Supervision:

Work with a research group consisting of Rick Haselton, Tricia Russ and graduate students.

A Brief Research Plan (period is for 10 weeks):

This technology platform appears to have the potential for highly automated processing and evaluation of bimolecular interactions. In the summer, we plan to demonstrate this potential by developing an automated processing platform for antibody recognition of a test virus. We have built a prototype fiber control device that positions a fiber loop using a precision rotational stage under PC control. We have carried-out successful antibody attachment to a fiber and have begun testing of filament based antibody-virus interactions with this prototype. We plan to extend the capabilities of our prototype to include additional automated processing steps as well as fluorescence detection of biorecognition events to enable feedback control.

Number of Open Slots:

1

Contact Information:

Rick Haselton
615-322-6622
rick.haselton@vanderbilt.edu