SBIR-STTR Award

HJ Science & Technology has developed a novel approach for concentration and purification of environmental DNA (eDNA) in ocean water. The method is highly amenable to automation and autonomous operation, significantly reduces the required sample volumes, and is highly efficient for both intracellular and extracellular DNA detection. Our proposed phase I technology will leverage this method to develop fully automated eDNA concentration and purification, with integrated downstream detection and analysis. The overall Phase I technical goal is to combine and automate the procedures for concentration and purification of eDNA in ocean water with qPCR detection of target sequences in order to determine the feasibility of the proposed technology for autonomous operation in an unmanned underwater vehicle. If successful, the proposed marine eDNA technology will have capability for autonomous operation and detection sensitivity equivalent to traditional laboratory-based methods for eDNA analysis. We will also design the Phase II prototype with performance and physical specifications including reduction in size, power consumption, and consumables. Successful development of the proposed marine eDNA sampling and analysis technology will enable remote monitoring of the biological communities and human uses of the world's ocean, which is currently very challenging.

Benefit:
The proposed eDNA sampling and analysis technology is low cost, has a small footprint, and amenable for autonomous operation. As such it presents an attractive alternative as a monitoring tool in the areas of early detection of and rapid response to invasive species, characterization and quantification of the genetic diversity within marine species, and the detection of the presence and abundance of pathogens and other biological threats in salmonid aquaculture environment. The target government end users include NOAA National Marine Fisheries, National Ocean Service, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Geological Survey, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. In addition, the proposed technology has potential end user in the commercial sectors of marine resource management, environmental monitoring entities, aquaculture, and fisheries industries.

Keywords:
DNA purification, DNA purification, eDNA, Autonomous Operation, qPCR

HJ Science & Technology proposes a novel technology for concentration and purification of environmental DNA (eDNA) in ocean water that is highly amenable to automation and autonomous operation, significantly reduces the required sample volumes, and is highly efficient for both intracellular and extracellular DNA detection. In Phase I, we established the technical feasibility of 1) automated concentration and purification of eDNA from a variety of eukaryotic organisms including marine mammals, 2) compatibility of this approach with downstream quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), and 3) detection and sequencing of the eDNA from marine mammals from samples collected at the University of California, Santa Cruz Long Marine Laboratory and at Pier 39 in San Francisco. In Phase II, we will develop, construct, and validate an automated platform for detection of marine mammal eDNA in ocean water that is compatible with integration into an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). Successful development of the proposed marine eDNA sampling and analysis technology will enable remote monitoring of the biological communities and human uses of the world's ocean, which is currently very challenging.

Benefit:
The proposed eDNA sampling and analysis technology is low cost, has a small footprint, and amenable for autonomous operation. As such it presents an attractive alternative as a monitoring tool in the areas of early detection of and rapid response to invasive species, characterization and quantification of the genetic diversity within marine species, and the detection of the presence and abundance of pathogens and other biological threats in salmonid aquaculture environment. The target government end users include NOAA National Marine Fisheries, National Ocean Service, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, U.S. Geological Survey, Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. In addition, the proposed technology has potential end user in the commercial sectors of marine resource management, environmental monitoring entities, aquaculture, and fisheries industries.

Keywords:
AUV, DNA purification, eDNA, Autonomous Operation