Flexible Biochip for Highly Parallel Microbial Detection

Detection of many pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms in parallel by using their signature oligonucleotide sequences on in situ synthesized

biochips is one of the main areas of research.

The need for such a comprehensive and broad-range screening tool has been recognized for years in many areas including diagnostics, air, water, food, animal,

and plant safety, and bioprocess monitoring.

Experiments are currently performed using a highly flexible and low-cost in-situ oligonucleotide biochip synthesis platform invented by the University of Michigan and Xeotron (now owned by Invitrogen).  The biochip consists of a microfluidic array of over 8,000 wells etched into a silicon surface.  Each  well contains oligonucleotide sequences called probes that are specific for the target organism(s) of interest.  The probes are designed by researchers at the Center for Microbial Ecology (CME) at Michigan State University (MSU).  The chip is about the size of a dime (see above) and can be produced overnight using light-directed synthesis.  Read more...

Currently, researchers are working on issues of hybridization technology related to specificity, sensitivity, and validation.  You can read more about the work of the individual group members on the GROUP page.

Sponsor : National Institutes of Health Grant Number: 5R01RR018625-03

Whole Genome Arrays

Whole genome arrays for organisms important to biodegradation of pollutants, e.g., Burkholderia fungorum LB400 for PCBs degradation and Desulfitobacterium for TCE degradation is another area of research

Gene Sequence Databases

We are also interested in developing gene sequence databases for selected applications, e.g., Virulence Factors Activity Relationships (VFAR) database, Antibiotic Resistance genes (AR) databases.