ULTRA HIGH SENSITIVITY INTEGRATED DETECTION TECHNOLOGY FOR CELLULAR AND BACTERIOLOGICAL IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL WITH BIOSELECTIVE POLYMERS

Objective

Overall, the objectives were attained: the research of rare events or very rare events were obtained by 3 types of solutions.

a) beads + PCR
b) beads + filter
c) filter + specific characterization.

The process using specific membranes could not be fully evaluated and it was left out due to planning problems.

The application tests carried out - all with positive results - show the feasibility of the project. To carry more weight, application tests should now be carried out on a different scale, on a European level and they should follow agreed and controlled protocols.
The MEBIOCE project is aiming to develop bio-selective materials for high sensitivity cellular and bacteriological screening for the purpose of diagnosis or bio-technological and medical use. These materials will be integrated in original filtration and analysis systems.With this integrated method which combines several means for selective enrichment,one can expect to select cells and bacteria at contamination level 10 to 100 times lower than with existing conventional methods or even to screen very rare cells at rates of one cell amoung 106. The basis materials are polymers which are presented either as magnetic microbeads or as microporous membranes. Various techniques have to be developed and combined in order to reach such performances:

1-new magnetic microbeads of very small size (0.5microns);
2-new filtering membranes with grafted reactive areas according to specified densities and locations;
3-new dynamic immonoseparation system by filtration intended for processing large volumes and favouring the further detachment of cells and bacteria;
4-method for calibrating membranes;
5-feasibility tests on agro-food,environmental and medical controls and medical controls and diagnostis.

Once developed,this integrated technology of sorting out cells and bacteria could meet the actual and potential growing markets requiremnts (particularly in Europe)related with agro-food,biological and environmental controls and diagnosis.

Programme(s)

• FP3-BRITE/EURAM 2 - Specific programme (EEC) of research and technological development in the field of industrial and materials technologies, 1990-1994

Topic(s)

• 1.4.5 - Biomaterials

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

BIOCOM

Address

24 Avenue De La Baltique
91940 Les Ulis
France

Participants (3)

CHU DE NANTES

France

Address

60200 Compiegne

DYNAL AS

Norway

Address

P.o. Box 158 Skoyen
0212 Oslo

UCL

Belgium

Address

Place Louis Pasteur 1
1348 Louvain La Neuve