A Light-Directed Programmable Molecular Array Synthesizer--Xeotron Corporation, 1129 Nielsen Court, #4, Ann Arbor, MI 48105-1907; (713) 743-2805
Dr. Xiaochuan Zhou, Principal Investigator
Dr. Xiaolian Gao, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-98ER82713
Amount: $75,000

This project attacks three major problems with current DNA-chip fabrication: a prohibitively complicated processe for most user laboratories, the high cost for custom chip fabrication, and low sequence fidelity in synthesis. The overall DNA-chip fabrication process will be simplified by using in situ photo-generated reagents and a programmable photo-modulated reactor, all in a desktop enclosure. The use of conventional DNA synthesis chemistry and the elimination of the prevailing photomasks will allow for DNA-chip production with improved stepwise yields and at a much lower cost. A concept apparatus containing an optical system, a microarray reactor, and a computer control system will be constructed. The apparatus will be interfaced with a DNA synthesizer to accomplish synthesis of DNA oligonucleotides in the microarray reactor using the solution photochemistry developed in Phase I. By the end of Phase I, sample DNA-chips containing oligonucleotide arrays will be produced by the new apparatus.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The new molecular array synthesizer should, for the first time, allow interested persons in the field to make high-density DNA-chips of their own design at an affordable price. Therefore, in addition to large pharmaceutical companies, the present major users of DNA-chips, the application of DNA-chips should penetrate every clinical and research laboratory for gene analysis and drug discovery. It is also expected that this technology development will be extended to produce other sequence arrays, such as RNA and peptide arrays.