Devices consisting of a rigid molecular rod with a flexible molecular tether attached at each end that can be used to detect a wide variety of clinical and biowarfare reagents and/or modify endogenous molecules

Available for licensing and commercial development are the "Rod-tether Nanoprobes", devices consisting of a rigid molecular rod with a flexible molecular tether attached at each end that can be used to detect and/or modify molecules. Each tether tip has a functional group, such as an antibody or oligonucleotide, that recognizes a target molecule. In addition, one tip carries a donor fluorophore and the other carries an acceptor fluorophore. The fluorophores form a pair for Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). In the absence of the target molecule, the rod keeps the tether arms apart most of the time, while in the presence of the target molecule, both recognizers bind to the target. This holds the donor and acceptor fluorophores close together. Illumination with light excites the donor and the energy is transferred by FRET to the nearby acceptor, which emits a detectable signal. By reducing an ELISA-like assay entirely to the molecular level, complex macroscopic or microfluidic washing and pumping systems can be eliminated. Rod- tether Nanoprobes can detect a wide variety of clinical and biowarfare reagents. The nanoprobes can also be used to rapidly and simply detect, modify and/or destroy endogenous molecules such as proteins and mRNA involved in a broad range of diseases. The simplest ssDNA-detecting nanoprobe has been created. The benefits of the Rod-Tether Nanoprobes include: a) simplicity, only one reagent required and complicated and expensive microfluidic chips are eliminated (see BioTechniques Jan 2006, 40:1:85-90); b) reduction of ELISA, Southern, Northern and Western assays to single molecules; c) speed, only a single molecular reaction is required to detect a target molecule; d) exceptionally low cost per device; e) could be used in the clinic to instantaneously analyze patient's blood and detect genetic diseases; and f) could be used to detect biowarfare agents instantaneously. The technology is further described at http://www.ccrnp.ncifcrf.gov/~toms/patent/nanoprobe/.

U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/749,858 filed 12 Dec 2005 (HHS Reference No. E-195-2005/0-US-01) Inventors: Ilya G. Lyakhov, Thomas D. Schneider, and Danielle Needle (NCI) Related Technology: U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/749,729 filed 12 Dec 2005 (HHS Reference No. E-194- 2005/0-US-01), "The Medusa™ Sequencer: A Sequencing Machine the Size of a Molecule that Could Sequence RNA in a Living Cell"

Licensees sought. Collaborative Research Opportunity: The National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research Nanobiology Program is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize Rod-Tether Nanoprobes. Please contact Melissa Maderia at 301/846- 5465 (phone), 301/846-6820 (fax), maderiam@mail.nih.gov (e- mail) for more information.