Note:
This awardee has received supplemental funding. This award detail page includes information about both the original award and supplemental awards.
Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2004, $445,265)
The goal of this project is to study, design, and test new DNA sequencing methods using nanotechnology. The team at Brown University has extensive experience with synthesis of uniform carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and highly ordered CNT arrays. The increase in resolution that is expected to be seen with the nanotube arrays will promote the miniaturization of the device and will allow electrophoresis to be performed on a chip. The primary goals of this research are to increase the nanotube array throughput and to develop testing chips. The deliverable will be the development, optimization, and testing of carbon nanotube arrays for use in miniaturized, high-throughput DNA assays.
Objectives:
1. Examine a series of variables related to carbon nanotube synthesis, including the size of the nanotube array chip, the spacing of the nanotubes in the array, the surface properties of the nanotubes, the loading and injection of the DNA samples, the sensitivity, spacial resolution and speed of the read-out module, and the design of the microfluidic chamber.
2. Conduct a series of proof of concept studies of the first generation nanochips.
nca/ncf