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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/R58949/01
Title: Polymeric Detection Systems for Micro Analysis
Principal Investigator: de Mello, Professor AJ
Other Investigators:
de Mello, Professor J Bradley, Professor DD
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department: Chemistry
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 April 2002 Ends: 31 March 2005 Value (£): 521,390
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Analytical Science Chemical Biology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Chemicals Environment
Pharmaceuticals and Biotechnology No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
Over the past decade the development of miniaturized total analysis systems (m-TAS) has become a dominant trend in the physical and biological sciences. Growth in this area has primarily been driven by a need for rapid measurements at low concentrations within the fields of DNA analysis, drug discovery & screening, medical diagnostics, environmental analysis and chemical production. In its true sense m-TAS possess many advantages with respect to their conventional (larger) analogues. These include improved efficiency with respect to sample size, response time, cost, throughput and automation. To create portable m-TAS for high-sensitivity measurements in point-of-care or in-the-field applications (e.g. medical diagnostics) the entire instrumental footprint must be of an appropriate size. To date, no detection technique offers miniaturized, highsensitivity multi-point detection at low cost. A detector possessing these characteristics, although not essential for laboratory analyses, is a prerequisite for creating portable m-TAS. In this proposal we set out to address this need, by defining a novel approach based on semiconducting polymer device-technology. Using high-efficiency techniques (inkjet printing and photolithography) arrays of closely spaced LED/photocell pairs will be fabricated at precisely determined locations within microfluidic chip structures. These complex arrays of micron sized PDS units will be used to analyze multi-component chemical systems in real-time. Novel data analysis methods will be used to improve information content and extend the efficacy of multi-point detection, and the intrinsic optical properties of semiconducting polymers will be harnessed to create a three-colour recognition system.
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Organisation Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk