Sensor Detects Anthrax Molecules

CHEMICAL DETECTION

A sensor that can detect low levels of anthrax molecules in the air is being developed by NanoLabs, a spinoff from Oxford Univ.'s (U.K.; www.ox.ac.uk) chemistry department. "The focus on bioterrorism responds to a gap in the market for an effective sensor device," says Oxford's professor of chemical biology, Hagan Bayley, who developed the technology. NanoLabs will initially concentrate on identifying the virus during development of bioterrorism warning systems in which an array of sensors will be linked to a computer system designed to detect and identify any form of known chemical attack.

The sensors are made up of nanoporous proteins derived from the staphylococcus aureus bacterium and placed in a thin membrane. When the molecule to be detected binds to the nanopore, it causes a drop in the protein's electrical signal. Biological and chemical engineering are used to modify the protein so that different types of molecules can be bound, and thus, detected. "It's possible to detect just about anything at a simple molecular level. We can even watch chemical reactions occur inside the pore," says Bayley.

In this vein, Oxford NanoLabs has identified two further target sectors for the sensors. The first is the emerging area of medical markers. "Healthcare companies, such as Bayer AG, are currently seeking to develop handheld devices that can identify the presence of Btype natriuretic peptide in the blood of people who are suspected of suffering from heart problems," explains Bayley. "At present, hospitals conduct expensive electrocardiogram scans to tell whether a patient is suffering from heart failure or just indigestion," he adds.

The second promising field is personalized medicine. The sensors' pores could be adapted to recognize specific sections of DNA, which offers a clue as to what is the most effective treatment. The firm hopes to enable development of handheld devices that can identify medical markers within the next 2-3 years, and anthrax sensors within 5 years.