| PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 02- B2.03-9743 (For NASA Use Only - Chron: 022256 ) |
| SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Understanding and Utilizing Gravitational Effects on Molecular Biology and for Medical Applications |
| PROPOSAL TITLE: | Discovering Stress Related Gene Transcript for Bioreactor Monitoring |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN
(Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
GENEXPRESS INFORMATICS INC.
P.O. Box 200759
Austin , TX 78720 - 0759
(512 ) 659 - 4539
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER
(Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert Chin
rchin@austin.rr.com
P.O. Box 200759
Austin , TX 78720 - 0759
(512 ) 659 - 4539
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
GeneXpress Informatics, Inc. (GXI) and Dr. James P. Chambers of the University of Texas at San Antonio propose to use GXI's patent pending, Preferential Display (PD) technology to identify and isolate stress-related gene expression transcripts for the use in developing a real-time bioreactor monitoring system. GXI's Preferential Display (PD) technology is a paradigm shift in high throughput gene expression and analysis. The PD technology eliminates redundant sequences found between tissue types or bioreactor conditions by using a novel combination of biomolecular chemistry methods and fluorescence dye assay techniques. The envisioned PD assay would provide pre-sample preparation resulting in highly purified DNA samples for introduction into a microarray DNA chip for multi-analyte detection of stress related transcripts or biosignatures thus providing real-time monitoring of the bioreactor process and condition.
In Phase I, GXI and Dr. Chambers propose to develop and demonstrate the PD technology by identifying unique gene sequences expressed by cells under the effects of simulated bioreactor stress. In Phase II, GXI and Dr. Chambers propose to develop a PD assay format for spaceflight implementation into the dead leg of a rotating wall bioreactor vessels (RWV) or on other cells, rats and tissues from the Biotechnology Facility Rack.
POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The PD technology offers a revolutionary technology to isolate and identify gene expression profiles of diseased versus normal tissues for use in developing microarray chips for medical diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. The databases generated will have a wide commercial market as new drugs or drug targets.
POTENTIAL NASA APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Reducing redundant genes and thereby reducing gene noise by PD will allow NASA medical staff to evaluate crew members at the onset of up or down regulated gene expression changes due to prolong space missions. The quantification of these genes at the onset would provide a real time monitoring capability, which is not available at this time.