2009 News
Yeast
Agave BioSystems has been contracted by the Army to develop a novel handheld biosensor for water. This biosensor uses yeast strains engineered to report changes in fluorescence upon exposure to chemical stress. Further work will focus on identifying ideal promoters for this water biosensor to identify toxic industrial chemicals.
Mitochondria
Agave BioSystems in collaboration with Cornell University is screening compound collections with cell-based assays monitoring mitochondrial function. Yeast, C. elegans and mammalian cells are used as model systems in this study aiming to identify target pathways for the development of novel mitochondria-directed therapeutics. This work is sponsored by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory.
Protective Enclosure for Military Working Dogs
Agave BioSystems is working together with Gentex Corporation to build an enclosure for the U.S. Army to provide protection for military working dogs against chemical and biological agents. The protective enclosure will function under all field conditions, and provide continuous protection for up to 72 hours.
Portable TTHM water sensor
Edwards Air Force Base has contracted Agave BioSystems to develop a portable sensor for the quick and accurate detection of the total trihalomethane (TTHM) concentration in water. The detection of these disinfection byproducts will be accomplished via chemical methods in a simple and straightforward system that uses minimal user input.
Phase I SBIRs:
Malarial Vaccines Utilizing Viral-Like Particles (VLP) – Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)
Organophosphate Degrading Enzymes – Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Enzymatic degradation of rocket propellant waste – Edwards Air Force Base
Point-of-Care Diagnostic for Acute Q Fever using LAMP – Naval Medical Research Center (NMRC)
Water Toxicity Detection using Genetically Engineered Yeast – U.S. Army Medical Research Activity
2008 News
Xenopus Melanophore-Based Toxicity Sensor for Water
Agave BioSystems has been contracted to further develop the melanophore-based biosensor to identify chemicals that may be potential water contaminants. The Xenopus based biosensor is based upon dual measures of simultaneous electrical impedance (ECIS) and optical absorbance measurements. The result should be a highly sensitive and accurate sensor for water contaminants. The system will be designed for integration with the Environmental Sentinel Biomonitor (ESB) platform.
Phase I SBIRs:
Cell-based High Throughput Screening of Compounds Improving Mitochondrial Energetics – US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command – Department of Defense in collaboration with Cornell University
Collective Protection for Military Working Dogs – US Army, Natick Contracting Division (R and BaseOPS) AMSRD-ACC-N US – in collaboration with Gentex Corporation
Development of 5-Plex Avian Disease Serology Assays – Luminex Corporation Bioscience Group
Multiplex Lyme Disease Diagnostic – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID)
Branched DNA Diagnostic for Malaria Parasites – Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)
Ante-Mortem TSE Diagnosis by Electric Cell-Substrate Impedance Sensing – US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command
Ribozymes for In Vivo Degradation of G-Nerve Agents – Chemical and Biological Defense program – Department of Defense
Field Sensor for TTHM Detection in Treated Drinking Water – Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base - AFFTC/PKEAD
2007 News
Environmental Sentinel Biomonitor
Agave BioSystems has been contracted to develop the Environmental Sentinel Biomonitor for the U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research. The ESB platform capitalizes on previous work by Agave BioSystems in the development of its ECIS cell-based detection instrument and a cell maintenance system for transport and storage of live cells. The ESB will be capable of detecting a wide range of chemicals that are potential water contaminants at water treatment facilities. Experiments by the Army in conjunction with those conducted at Agave BioSystems laboratories are part of the process that will lead to commercialization of this system.
SMART Adsorbents for CO and Ammonia
NASA Johnson Space center has selected Agave BioSystems to develop a prototype air purification system using next generation smart adsorbents based on novel carbon nanotube structures for the adsorption and destruction of potentially toxic air contaminants. This work is being done in collaboration with the Universities Space Research Association. Prior work successfully demonstrated the ability of our CNT-based systems to adsorb and release ammonia and also remove CO by oxidizing it into CO2. This innovative technology will be of significant benefit as a complement to the air purification systems in NASA’s next generation spacecraft.
Detection of Explosive Materials Using an Encapsulated Fluorescent Bioprobe
Agave BioSystems has been contracted by the U.S. Army Topographic Engineering Center to expand the fluorescent bio-probe system previously developed, for large-scale field detection of a variety of militarily important explosive agents. This project will focus on the scale up of materials, developing assays to detect multiple agents, and adapting the assay for stand-off detection of explosives residues under field conditions.
Phase I SBIRs:
RFID Sensor for Detection of Biowarfare Agents – United States Air Force office of Scientific Research
Xenopus Melanophore-Based Toxicity Sensor for Water – U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity
Carbon Nanotube-Based Filters for Aerosol Sample Collection – U.S. Army Civil Engineering Research Laboratory
CNT-Based Smart Electrostatic Filters for Capturing Nanoparticulate Lunar Regolith – NASA Johnson Space Center
2006
News
Therapeutic Enzymes against Nerve Agents
Agave BioSystems has been selected by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency to develop broad spectrum therapeutic enzymes against organophosphorus nerve agents. To accomplish this, Agave BioSystems will produce enhanced catalytic bioscavengers based on the human serum protein paraoxonase 1 (huPON1). This research and development integrates with intramural research efforts conducted by the US Army Medical Research Institute for Chemical Defense.
Air and Water Toxicity
Monitoring
The U.S. Army Center for Environmental Health Research
has contracted Agave BioSystems to screen additional vertebrate
cell lines in the ECIS cell-based air and water toxicity monitoring
system. The purpose of this program, which expands on current
systems development, is to increase both the chemical detection
sensitivity and the range of chemicals detected by Agave BioSystems’
ECIS system.
Water Toxicity Monitoring
Agave BioSystems has been contracted to establish
its ECIS chemical testing system at U.S. Army Center for Environmental
Health Research. This ECIS system will be used by the Army to
test a wide range of chemicals that are potential water contaminants.
In addition to providing initial training and installation,
Agave BioSystems will supply the Army with live cell biochips
on an on-going basis. The experiments by the Army in conjunction
with those conducted at Agave BioSystems laboratories are part
of the process that will lead to commercialization of this system.
Phase I SBIRs:
Microfluidic Optical Biosensor for Detection of Biowarfare Agents – U.S. Army Civil Engineering Research Laboratory
Detection of Explosive Materials Using an Encapsulated Fluorescent Bioprobe – U.S. Army Topographic Engineering Center
Smart Adsorbents for Adsorption
of CO and Ammonia – NASA Johnson Space
Center
2005
News
Portable Cell
Maintenance System
Contract was awarded by U.S. Army Center for Environmental
Health Research to develop a cell maintenance system (CMS)
with integrated pH, osmolarity, CO2, and temperature sensors
to support multiple vertebrate cell types under field conditions.
In addition, a microfluidic cell cartridge suitable for use
in handheld devices and fabricated from biocompatible materials
will be developed that is inexpensive and disposable.
Environmentally
Friendly Luciferase-based Illumination Technology
Contract awarded by U. S Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB to
develop biodegradable light sources. In our first approach,
we will genetically manipulate yeast so it is capable of producing
luciferase, the enzyme that is produced by fireflies, and
package the yeast in a stable form. The yeast can then be
"activated" and luciferin (the substrate for luciferase)
added with the subsequent production of light to mark the
desired area.
Microfluidic/Microsphere
Flow Cytometer for Detection and Quantification of Viral Antibodies
Contract was awarded by the National Cancer Institutes to
develop a multiplex microsphere assay for detection of human
antibodies to viral antigens and to adapt this assay for use
in a microfluidic flow cytometer for detection and quantification
of antibodies. By combining these emerging technologies this
system can provide the multiplex capability of flow cytometry,
with significantly lower equipment costs, improved biocontainment
and safe disposal of dangerous materials.
Respiratory
Endothelial Cell Sensor for Real-Time Air Toxicity Monitoring
Contract was awarded by U.S. Army Center for Environmental
Health Research to adapt Electric Cell-substrate Impedance
Sensing (ECIS) technology for detection of airborne chemical
and biological agents using respiratory endothelial cells
as a broad and highly sensitive detector, state-of the art
air samplers for monitoring the environment, and microfluidic
technology for continuous delivery of samples to the biosensor.
Biological
Degradation of Nerve Agents
Contract was awarded by DARPA to develop a biologically based
system for the efficient and safe destruction of CW agents,
particularly the non-volatile persistent substances such as
VX. This effort involves the development of a genetically
engineered microbial system based on the efficient CW degrading
enzyme organophosphate hydrolase (OPH).
Phase I SBIRs:
Inhibition of
Biofilm Formation using Novel Nanostructured Surfaces
- NASA Johnson Space Center
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