DETECTION TECHNOLOGIES - The Next Generation in Identification and AnalysisDecember 5 - 6, 2002 • Marriott Crystal Gateway • Arlington, VA USA [ Overview | Agenda | Call for Posters | Register ] View Electronic Brochure (PDF)OverviewAs the world increases its focus on identifying detrimental agents, the need for quick and accurate assessments of biological and chemical compounds has become a focal point within the worldwide detection and identification community. Get the most recent information from our international group of experts to learn and discuss the present and future aspects of detection technologies. This conference will explore the latest research and state-of-the-art technologies of biological and chemical detection within this rapidly advancing field of science. * Strategic Concepts for Biodefense Research and Development Mark your calendars not to miss this exciting networking opportunity. Register today! AgendaThursday, December 5, 20027:30 Registration, Poster/Exhibit Viewing, Coffee and Pastries 8:25 Opening Remarks 8:30 Key Note Address 9:10 Chairperson's Remarks 9:15 Strategic Concepts for Biodefense Research & Development The threat posed by biological weapons is real and growing. Currently, there are only limited tools available to prevent the use of bio-weapons or to mitigate their effects if prevention fails. As result, there is a tremendous opportunity for the science and engineering communities to develop new diagnostics, therapeutics, and other biodefense technologies. The Bush Administration has recognized the vital role that biomedical research will play in the fight against bioterrorism, as illustrated by the $1.7 billion proposed in the President's FY 2003 budget for counter-bioterrorism research at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The unprecedented magnitude of this investment underlines the critical role that life sciences must now assume in the defense of the nation. This presentation will address the strategic components of a robust biodefense research and development initiative. 9:45 The Role of Standards in Protecting Emergency First Responders As the roles and responsibilities of first responders are further outlined in the response to CBRNE incidents, standards play a critical part in affording protection to the user. The use of detection equipment provides critical information so that the Incident Commander can make an appropriate risk analysis on how to manage the incident, and protect the responders. This presentation will cover what is occurring in the standards development arena and it's potential impact on emergency scene operations. 10:15 Refreshment Break and Poster/Exhibit Viewing 10:45 Real Time/Near Real Time Biosensor Detection of Bioterrorism Agents Conventional procedures to detect biothreat agents in food, water, and human specimens can take hours or days to perform and may provide inconclusive identification. Field test kits are available, but do not provide reliable detection of bioterrorism agents. Fiber optic biosensors can identify specific pathogens and toxins in minutes, instead of hours or days, directly from complex matrices using robust antibody-, receptor-, and/or nucleic acid-based assays. Biosensor assays are sensitive and specific. Furthermore, they can be simplified and automated for field use with a portable unit by minimally-trained personnel. 11:15 SensorViewTM - A Standard Sensor Interoperability and Data Fusion Platform for Command, Control, Monitoring, and Management of Heterogeneous Distributed Sensors There is no de facto or industry standard for sensor integration. SensorViewTM is a reference implementation of a sensor integration platform that facilitates rapid integration and interoperability and data fusion of different sensors and networks of sensors. SensorViewTM provides a proven and consitent implementation for command, control, monitoring, networking, integration, and management of disparate and distributed sensors. 11:45 Biological Attenuation Sensor (BAS) Battelle has developed an optical evanescent wave biosensor capable of simultaneous multi-analyte identification. The biosensor, known as the Biological Attenuation Sensor (BAS), was developed on the SUBD program, funded by Marine Corps Systems Command, and was demonstrated at JFT6 at Dugway Proving Grounds, in April 2001. The development of the instrument now continues at Battelle where we are addressing the ruggedization and optimization of the platform for various applications. *In collaboration with John Laudo, Battelle. 12:15 Lunch, Sponsored by The Knowledge Foundation 1:40 Chairperson's Opening Remarks 1:45 On-Site, Rapid Detection of Anthrax Spores We developed a rapid, on-site test capable of detecting minute quantities of anthrax spores within minutes. The test is a simple-to-use, inexpensive, lateral flow device (pregnancy-like test) requiring neither instrumentation nor special training. Results of testing done by an independent DoD lab will be presented and ramifications of point-of-use testing discussed. 2:15 Rapid PCR-Based Detection Instruments and Chemistries Most efforts at developing PCR technology have been aimed at the HTS laboratory where parallelism and automation are used to maximise throughput. For point-of-care or field testing, new approaches are required to allow the rapid processing of single or low numbers of discrete samples. Remote testing often requires that the test has to be carried out by unskilled operators and it may not be possible, in the field, to utilise the control measures used routinely within the lab to minimise contamination. We describe a portfolio of measures that may be applied to address these challenges. These include rapid thermal cycling, fluorescent reporting and hot-start technologies that we have developed. We will also describe an automated fluidic system that we are developing for STD clinic-based screening of urine samples for Chlamydia trachomatis. *In collaboration with David Squirrell, Dstl Porton Down.©Crown Copyright 2002 Dstl 2:45 Rapid Multiplex Detection of Biological Sensitive, on-site, simultaneous detection of multiple BW targets has been demonstrated using Up-Converting Phosphor Technology (UPTtm). Up-converting phosphor particles are a new class of reporters for immuno or nucleic acid detection. These materials up-convert infrared to visible light allowing superior detection. UPTtm particles, which produce spectrally-distinct colors, have been used for the detection of a variety BW reagents including tularensis, plague, and cholera. UPTtm particles are used by mixing a sample to be analyzed followed by detection on a nitrocellulose surface. Detection is accomplished using a small, table-top instrument. Single UPTtm particle detection is possible since up-conversion does not occur in nature. Examples of various formats with experimental results will be presented. 3:15 Refreshment Break and Poster/Exhibit Viewing 3:45 A Rapid HIV-1 Diagnostic Algorithm for Civilian and Military Emergency Situations Disasters such as the USS Cole, the bombing of the US Embassies in Nairobi,and the recent 9/11 terrorist acts demonstrate the need for a rapid HIV screening device for blood products. Currently HIV-1 diagnosis is limited to Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assays and Western Blots which require specialized equipment and training. A single FDA approved rapid HIV test is available (Abbott SUDS),however, this test has yielded a sensitivity of 99.4% and a specificity of 77.8% during trials at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. Rationale for the use of a rapid diagnostic test device includes greater safety to health care workers, decreased personnel costs, increased point of care use in outreach clinics with low patient return rates, and allows for quick screening of blood products for use in emergency situations. Therefore, we undertook a study to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of three rapid test devices used in combination, in a parallel algorithm (serum samples tested by two simultaneous rapid assays) and compared the results with conventional HIV serology. 4:15 A Portable Biodetection System Incorporating Semi-automated Sample Preparation The Bio-Seeq is a new handheld biodetection system based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. It consists of a handheld battery-operated thermocycler and a series of disposable sample preparation cartridges. The cartridges are simple enough to be used by nontechnical personnel in the field. Since the cartridges remove inhibitors and add the appropriate reagents automatically, they are expected to significantly reduce errors due to inhibitors and other sample preparation problems. As the population increases so does production of farm animals and their products. As the agricultural world expands, humans face a growing problem of increased contact with microbes that colonize livestock and poultry. Being able to rapidly detect the pathogenic versions of these microbes in the environment becomes paramount in protecting ourselves against disease. The challenges of rapid detection of these pathogens in their varied matrices will be discussed. 5:15 End of Day One Friday December 6, 20028:00 Poster/Exhibit Viewing, Coffee and Pastries 8:55 Opening Remarks 9:00 Keynote Address 9:40 Chairperson's Remarks David W. Godso, Executive Vice President and Director of Engineering, RTI 9:45 On-Farm Biosecurity Research Challenges: Fomite Transmission and Disease Agent Detection Outside of the Live Host This presentation will detail the research challenges and planned approaches to detecting animal disease agents outside of the host animal and under selected environmental conditions, which simulate on-farm commercial animal feeding operations (CAFO's). It will also outline the importance of research into fomite (mechanical) transmission of animal disease and suggest useful approaches for novel detector technologies to address challenges facing producers and others in animal agriculture in minimizing the economic impact of catastrophic animal disease introduction. 10:15 Refreshment Break and Poster/Exhibit Viewing 10:45 Bio Surveillance: Emerging Technologies and Potential Applications Abstract not available at time of print. 11:15 Air Sampling Technology - A Requirement for Biodetection Threats from microorganisms in the air as a result of natural phenomena or human-induced activities such as terrorism cannot be adequately monitored and evaluated in outdoor or indoor environments without air sampling technology. Many of the sensor and detector devices that have been under development for counter-terrorism and biowarfare (BW) defense require an up-front aerosol collector and particle separator to remove the biologically-relevant size range of particles from the airstream and concentrate them to a level that can be detected. Currently, positive identification technology requires that aerosolized particles be concentrated in a liquid sample that is used to inoculate a culture or that is analyzed using immuno-assays or PCR-based DNA-analysis. The principles of air sampling technology and the features of systems available or under development to address these needs will be discussed. 11:45 Real-time Sizing and Detection of Biological Aerosol Particles by a Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation Aerosol Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer A laboratory system was designed and built for real-time detection of biological aerosols by mass spectrometry. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation (MALDI) mass spectra have been obtained from single biological aerosol particles using this system. The on-line addition of matrix allows quasi-real-time chemical analysis of individual, aerodynamically sized particles, with an overall system residence time of less than 5 seconds. These results give proof that a laboratory aerosol-MALDI ToF-MS provides nearly real-time identification of biological aerosols. Some future development of the system will be addressed.*In collaboration with ChE Kientz and RW Busker, TNO Prins Mauritus Laboratory, MA Stowers, AL van Wuijckhuijse, JCM Marijnissen, and B Scarlett, Delft University. 12:15 Lunch on Your Own 1:45 An Automated Bioaerosol Collection and Detection System for the Detection of Biological Agents in Carrier Facilities In collaboration with Siemens Diematic, University of Texas and Texas A&M University, Constellation Technologies has developed a system to continuously monitor biological agents in carrier facilities. The Automated Bioaerosol Collection and Detection (ABCD) system can be directly integrated onto Siemens' sorting equipment. Automated tests of high specificity occur every 5 minutes for near real-time bioaerosol detection with no false positives. Applications of the ABCD system will be discussed. 2:15 The Next Generation in Chemical Vapor Detectors: Reducing the False Alarm Rate Using Complementary Detection Modes and Data Fusion This presentation describes a new approach in effectively reducing the false alarm rate, achieved without compromising the overall detector performance. The advanced approach uses several sensor technologies, including a surface acoustic wave (SAW) detector, an ion mobility cell (IM-Cell) detector, and electro-chemical and solid-state cells, together and coupled with data fusion for false alarm reduction. Results of a testing program where this sensor system was used with a wide range of live chemical warfare agents and problematic interferrents will be reported in this presentation. False alarm rates, both false positive and false negative, were significantly reduced with this approach, with no reduction of overall sensitivity. * In collaboration with Steve Haupt, SAIC. 2:45 Refreshment Break and Poster/Exhibit Viewing 3:15 Utilization of Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectroscopy Mounted on a Moveable Platform to Analyze for Chlorine Dioxide at Parts-Per-Trillion by Volume Levels During the Hart Building Fumigation The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Response Team Center assisted the remediation efforts conducted in the Hart Senate Office Building by providing near real time ambient air monitoring during the fumigation. The mobile laboratory continuously monitored the area adjacent to the Hart Senate Office building during the fumigation activities to ensure that the nearby residences were not impacted by the chlorine dioxide, which was being used as the anthrax sporicide, at levels that were not protective. We describe a novel optical material, fractal/microcavity composites. Both components exhibit resonance (Q-dependent) enhancement; in the composite, individual Q's combine multiplicatively resulting in spectral emissions enhanced by extremely large multiplicative factors and easily generated nonlinear optical processes. In this talk, we will review the optical properties of the composites and describe applications to the fabrication of ultra-sensitive chemical/biological sensors. *In collaboration with WT Kim, New Mexico State University, VM Shalaev, Purdue University, VP Drachev and VP Safonov, Institute of Automation and Electrometry, Novosibirsk, Russia. Call for PostersCall for Posters Register
Register me for this exciting conference!
Events | Sponsorship | Exhibiting | Call for Advisors The Knowledge Foundation, Inc. |