SBIR-STTR Award

Polyaniline Nanofiber Urinary Tract Infection Biosensor-A Multi-Functional Bioresponsive Material
Award last edited on: 12/28/2023

Sponsored Program
STTR
Awarding Agency
NSF
Total Award Amount
$405,933
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
NM
Principal Investigator
Christina Baker

Company Information

Fibron Technologies Inc

6140 Bristol Parkway
Culver City, CA 90230
   (310) 649-5655
   N/A
   www.fibrontech.com

Research Institution

University of California - Santa Barbara

Phase I

Contract Number: 0930767
Start Date: 7/1/2009    Completed: 6/30/2010
Phase I year
2009
Phase I Amount
$150,000
This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project seeks to develop polyaniline nanofibers into a biologically responsive multi-functional material for use as a tool for the rapid and inexpensive diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs) through a novel precipitation based smart biosensor platform. The bulk synthesis of conducting polymer nanofibers is green and highly scalable yielding a product which forms water stable colloidal suspensions. Conducting polymers have multiple responses that can be utilized for sensing, including colorometric, conductivity and oxidation state changes. This project will add an additional functionality to polyaniline nanofibers which causes them to form a gel precipitate in the presence of specific sequences of DNA or RNA giving a rapid visual indication of the presence of a target such as from UTI bacteria for the detection of a UTI in a patient. This will be accomplished through a novel functionalization of polyaniline nanofibers with single stranded DNA (ssDNA) probes. Since this process is aimed at direct analysis of patient samples without additional sample handling, or equipment, this technology promises to be a real-time test with accuracy competitive with more expensive current clinical standards. The broader impact/commercial potential of successfully developing a urine culture and antibiotic sensitivity test for bacteria to determine the presence and type of an infection a patient has within seconds rather than days. The test will also determine the proper course of treatment. A patient's actual range of conditions can also vary significantly from those causing mild inconvenience to those causing painful and serious ailments. This testing deficiency results in increased demand on the healthcare system from additional unnecessary costs of treatment and repercussions from overmedication, such as the development of drug resistant bacteria. The goal is a UTI diagnostic accuracy approaching 100% through the use of conducting polymer nanofibers with multiple-analyte probes for bacteria identification and/or target genes to determine antibiotic resistances. This technology will enable the initial diagnosis of the UTI as well as identify the proper course of treatment based on the antibiotic susceptibilities of the infecting bacteria within minutes instead of days at a cost of a few dollars.

Phase II

Contract Number: 1058598
Start Date: 4/1/2011    Completed: 3/31/2012
Phase II year
2011
Phase II Amount
$255,933
This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase II project is for the development of an inexpensive, rapid, high-accuracy test for the detection and identification of the pathogens that cause urinary tract infections (UTIs). Currently, UTI diagnosis is an expensive and lengthy process that often results in patients given unnecessary or ineffective antibiotics. This pathogen detection system utilizes highly dispersible polyaniline nanofibers that bind to markers in urine to generate a visible change in solution with the appearance of nanofiber aggregates. Versions of this test will be optimized for UTI detection, leukocyte detection and pathogen identification. An array of nanofibers functionalized for detection of different bacterial markers will be used for demonstration of pathogen identification. The broader impacts of this research are increased access to accurate tests for pathogen identification, healthcare cost reduction and reduction of antibiotic resistance. The low cost and ease of this test will allow patients to get diagnosed expeditiously, and then treated properly using species-directed medication rather than broad antibiotic coverage. This will have a great impact on decelerating the rise of antibiotic resistance. This test also has potential with future development in other target detection applications such as food/water testing and meningitis. Researchers may also benefit from this development as an alternative to more expensive and slower routes for identification of pathogens like culture. The overall cost reduction associated with this method of marker detection may also increase access to better infection diagnosis and treatment to lower income populations and patients in third world countries.