Portable Biological Agent Detection The “PCR Rotary Thermalcycler Unit”

An established method for rapidly identifying a genetic fingerprint (the DNA) of biological materials in even trace samples is Polymerase Chain Reaction, or PCR. Yet, application of PCR in the field has been challenged by the cost and difficulty of currently transportable PCR equipment. The PCR Rotary Thermalcycler Unit is designed to be a simple-to-use, lightweight, portable device for rapidly detecting and identifying the presence of specific biological species while in the field. Its unique heating concept and design configuration is intended to enable convenient and affordable PCR for a wide range of field applications such as: Detecting diseases and agricultural pests Identifying dangerous biological agents Testing food and water for contamination Tracking geographically a species or biological agent Design Benefits: Portable and easy to operate On-the-scene analysis in 5-20 minutes Expandable for higher sample counts Self-contained platform (integral batteries and detectors) with intuitive display The U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine seeks licensees to commercialize a PCR Rotary Thermalcycler, reducing the design to practice. Further development is possible under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) for prototype development, testing, & adaptation of commercially available reagents. Additional information is available through FirstLink.