Overview

The Pathogen Sugar-Binding Database is part of a larger MITRE-Sponsored Research (MSR) project. The aim of the MSR is to use floating glycoprotein films to capture pathogens. This database provides a list of known carbohydrate sequences to which pathogenic organisms specifically adhere.

Problem

Contaminated surface water can contribute to the spread of infectious disease through human and animal populations. Scientists need an inexpensive method of concentrating and detecting harmful microbes and toxins in drinking water reservoirs and surface waters worldwide.

Objectives

We will design a prototype film to collect and concentrate specific pathogenic bacteria at the surface of water. Under various environmental conditions and concentrations of organisms we will optimize and quantify the film's stability, specificity, and efficiency. During the course of our research, we will measure the chemical and physical properties of the biocapture films.

Activities

We will float biocapture films on water containing a mixture of pathogenic and harmless bacteria, measuring the effects of varying composition, configuration, pathogen concentration, and mixing time on the adhesion of cells to the film. Periodically we will measure spectral characteristics of the film-pathogen complex. A world-class team of experts will evaluate experimental protocol and test results.

Impacts

Films synthesized from lipids and glycoproteins offer an affordable means of selectively concentrating pathogens at the surface of water reservoirs.

» View Presentation about this MSR [PDF, 283KB]