ID: 2018-014 A single-step process for creating porous polymer monoliths for DNA extraction
Principal Investigator: Adam Woolley
Fast determination of antibiotic resistance is crucial in sepsis patients for selecting appropriate treatment, but current methods based on blood culture are time consuming. Researchers at BYU are developing a microfluidic platform with a monolithic column modified with oligonucleotides designed for sequence-specific capture of target related to the Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) gene.
The invention consists in a process for single-step fabrication (in a fluidic microdevice) of a porous polymer monolith having a capture DNA sequence. Columns prepared by this single-step method had threefold higher binding capacity compared to DNA capture monolith prepared by the Schiff-base method. Using our developed procedure, it is possible to prepare a DNA capture monolith ancored to the channel wall using a single UV exposure step. This approach allows fast and easy column fabrication with the possibility of scalable production.
Advantages of the invention include:
1. The monoliths have a threefold higher DNA binding capacity than the ones made by the slower, conventional multistep process
2. Allows for large-scale fabrication of many devices in parallel for DNA extraction
3. Prepared monoliths are suitable for flow-based operations with pressures tested up to 100 psi
About the Market:
The technology shows great promise for application in an integrated microfluidic diagnostic system that combines upstream blood sample preparation and downstream single-molecule counting detection.
For more information, contact 801-422-6266
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