| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/R58949/01 |
| Title: |
Polymeric Detection Systems for Micro Analysis |
| Principal Investigator: |
de Mello, Professor AJ |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Chemistry |
| Organisation: |
Imperial College London |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 April 2002 |
Ends: |
31 March 2005 |
Value (£): |
521,390
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Analytical Science |
Chemical Biology |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Chemicals |
Environment |
| Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology |
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Over the past decade the development of miniaturized total analysis systems (m-TAS) has become a dominant trend in the physical and biological sciences. Growth in this area has primarily been driven by a need for rapid measurements at low concentrations within the fields of DNA analysis, drug discovery & screening, medical diagnostics, environmental analysis and chemical production. In its true sense m-TAS possess many advantages with respect to their conventional (larger) analogues. These include improved efficiency with respect to sample size, response time, cost, throughput and automation. To create portable m-TAS for high-sensitivity measurements in point-of-care or in-the-field applications (e.g. medical diagnostics) the entire instrumental footprint must be of an appropriate size. To date, no detection technique offers miniaturized, highsensitivity multi-point detection at low cost. A detector possessing these characteristics, although not essential for laboratory analyses, is a prerequisite for creating portable m-TAS. In this proposal we set out to address this need, by defining a novel approach based on semiconducting polymer device-technology. Using high-efficiency techniques (inkjet printing and photolithography) arrays of closely spaced LED/photocell pairs will be fabricated at precisely determined locations within microfluidic chip structures. These complex arrays of micron sized PDS units will be used to analyze multi-component chemical systems in real-time. Novel data analysis methods will be used to improve information content and extend the efficacy of multi-point detection, and the intrinsic optical properties of semiconducting polymers will be harnessed to create a three-colour recognition system.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.imperial.ac.uk |