PRNewswire - October 20, 1999

The technology, developed by the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory and the Russian Academy of Sciences' Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, is expected to help health organizations deal with the new variety of drug-resistant strains of the disease.

According to the World Health Organization, tuberculosis alone kills more youth and adults than any other infectious disease, including AIDS and malaria combined. Every year, 7 to 8 million people become sick with the disease and more than 3 million die.

"With this advanced technology, we'd be able to get all the information we need in a couple of hours that used to take weeks or months," said Harvey Drucker, Argonne associate laboratory director. "We're very optimistic about this project. The fact that it has been shown to work and wasn't difficult to perform shows us that the biochips have a lot of potential."

How the Biochip Works

The Argonne-Engelhardt biochip resembles a traditional glass microscope slide, but its surface contains up to 10,000 tiny gel pads, each serving as a miniature laboratory.

Researchers apply unknown DNA to a biochip containing up to 10,000 different samples of known DNA, such as from different strains of tuberculosis bacteria. If chemical bonding occurs, scientists can identify the sample.

To detect these bonds, fluorescent dye is added to the biochip. A device called a reader then shines light on the biochip and captures the "glow" from the DNA bonds -- registering each as a kind of light "fingerprint."

The information is then fed into a computer for analysis. Based on the data collected, scientists will be able to develop new treatments for drug resistant diseases faster than ever before.

Extensions of the technology include potential use in germ warfare situations; soldiers in the field might use the chip to quickly identify the presence of harmful bacteria and have enough time to take appropriate action. Research is also beginning on a forensic use for the chip -- such as aiding police in identifying rape suspects.

Efficient and Cost-Effective

Argonne-Engelhardt biochips are designed to carry out thousands of biochemical reactions simultaneously making short work of traditionally time- and labor-intensive laboratory procedure.

In addition, the Argonne-Engelhardt biochip can be cleansed and reused up to 50 times, potentially making them more economical than conventional biochip technology. The chip's larger size and three-dimensional approach (compared to two-dimensional traditional assays) allows it to hold up to 1,000 times the material, making it more sensitive than any other biochip.

Tuberculosis Testing to Lead Diagnostic Research

Already showing promise in a variety of laboratory tests, researchers are about to do their first testing of the Argonne-Engelhardt biochip in a medical diagnostic setting, studying tuberculosis.

"We chose tuberculosis for the tests," Drucker said, "because tuberculosis patients are often prescribed several antibiotics simultaneously for at least six months to ensure that all the bacteria are eliminated. Tuberculosis cells grow slowly and it often takes weeks or months to identify specific tuberculosis strains that person may have. During this period valuable time is lost and patients can die. With our biochip, physicians can identify the strain of tuberculosis and prescribe the most effective treatment without delay.

"Considering that tuberculosis is becoming a global epidemic," said Drucker, "some urgent steps must be taken to speed up the process of identification and treatment. We're taking the necessary steps to address this issue."

The nation's first national laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory supports basic and applied scientific research across a wide spectrum of disciplines, ranging from high-energy physics to climatology and biotechnology. Since 1990, Argonne has worked with more than 600 companies and numerous federal agencies and other organizations to help advance America's scientific leadership and prepare the nation for the future. Argonne is operated by the University of Chicago as part of the U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory system.

Fact Sheet: Argonne-Engelhardt Biochip

-- The Argonne-Engelhardt biochip is being developed through a joint project between Argonne National Laboratory and the Russian Academy of Science's Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology.

-- The Argonne-Engelhardt biochips employ a novel "micro-gel" technology in which as many as 10,000 micro-structures are mounted on a single glass surface about the size of a microscopic slide. Each micro-gel is like a micro-test tube in which chemical compounds can be tested against biological targets to provide answers to questions about DNA sequence, genetic variation, gene expression, protein interaction and immune response.

-- These biochips are faster than conventional gene sequencing methods and provide a 3-dimensional platform that allows greater sensitivity and accuracy in assaying proteins, RNA and DNA.

-- Argonne will use the biochip technology initially to distinguish between tuberculosis strains in order to quickly identify drug- resistant TB strains and allow physicians to prescribe the most effective treatment without delay.

-- The Argonne-Engelhardt biochip is designed for rapid diagnostic testing. Researchers will be able to identify in minutes mutated genes that could lead to later medical problems, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer's. Widespread use of biochips will also remove the guesswork from early treatment of many diseases and conditions.

-- The Argonne-Engelhardt biochip could be reused up to 100 times, potentially keeping costs of individual tests low for healthcare consumers.

-- The Argonne-Engelhardt biochip may also have applications in forensic criminology, such as in identifying rape suspects, as well as in detection of microbial and viral infection in hospitals. The chip could also be used in a military setting to quickly identify the presence of biological and chemical warfare agents in the field.

-- Under an agreement reached signed in 1998 with the Department of Energy, Motorola, Inc. will develop manufacturing processes to mass produce biochips, and Packard Instrument Company will develop and manufacture the analytical instruments to process and analyze the biochips. Argonne's contribution, in conjunction with the Engelhardt Institute, is intellectual property in the form of 19 inventions related to biological microchips.

-- Motorola and Packard pledged in 1998 to contribute a total of $19 million over five years to support the joint-research agreement, making it one of the largest biotechnology joint-research agreements ever signed by a U.S. Department of Energy laboratory. Argonne's 19 inventions, which have been licensed exclusively to Motorola and Packard, are the result of more than $10 million in research support since 1994 by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Russian Human Genome Program.

For more information, contact Catherine Foster of Argonne National Laboratory, 630-252-5580, or cfoster@anl.gov; or Tim Hart of Golin-Harris International, 312-729-4356, or thart@golinharris.com, for Argonne National Laboratory.

SOURCE Argonne National Laboratory

NOTE TO EDITORS: Visit the Argonne Web site at http://www.anl.gov/OPA/news99/photo/biochip01.gif to download an informative illustration of the Argonne-Englhardt biochip/

CONTACT: Catherine Foster of Argonne National Laboratory, 630-252-5580, or cfoster@anl.gov; or Tim Hart of Golin-Harris International, 312-729-4356, or thart@golinharris.com, for Argonne National Laboratory/

Web Site: /http://www.anl.gov/OPA/news99/photo/biochip01.gif /
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