Elastomeric Negative Acoustic Contrast Particles as Platforms for Bioassays

1. Elastomeric Negative Acoustic Contrast Particles as Platforms for Bioassays Juila E. Fulghum, University of New Mexico, DMR 0611616 The development of more sensitive and rapid medical assays is imperative to decreasing time-to-diagnosis in diseased state individuals and thus to improving patient outcomes. Enhanced detection limits afford the ability to detect the presence of low concentrations of biomarkers that may be present during the early-onset stages of a disease. Reduction in sample preparation requirements can further decrease assay time and the expertise level of the user. Our research aims to develop a sensitive and rapid bioassay platform based on elastomeric capture microparticles (ECμPs) for use in acoustic sample preparation chambers and flow cytometers. ECμPspossess unique physical and mechanical properties enabling their separation from biological particles (e.g., blood cells) within a collected fluid sample (e.g., whole blood) by placing them under acoustic pressure. An in-line acoustic sample preparation instrument can be used to separate unwanted biological particles (along with interfering soluble molecules) from ligand-bound ECμPs within biological fluids. The acoustic field will also concentrate the ECμPs, and so much higher analysis rates of ECμPs may be possible. Since the acoustic sample preparation system operates continuously and can be mounted to feed separated ECμPs directly into a flow cytometer, this approach may substantially decrease sample preparation time. Our studies show that emulsion polymerization methods can be used to easily form elastomeric microparticles that exhibit the desired acoustic response. We have developed methods for bioconjugation of the surfaces of these particles to form ECμPs. Direction of Flow Field Off Field On UNM-964 “Elastomeric Microparticles as Negative Contrast Particles in Acoustic Radiation Field  (Method of Making Spheres)” Patent Application # PCT/US10/34411 UNM-1017 “Stable Elastomeric Negative Acoustic Contrast Particles and their Use in Acoustic Radiation Fields” Patent Application # PCT/US10/34415 Funding for this research was provided by NSF PREM Grant # DMR-0611616