Bioreporter Development for Wireless Integrated Sensors (contact Gary Sayler)
The purpose of this Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation (Contractor), The Perkin-Elmer Corporation (PEC), and The University of Tennessee (University) is the development of a family of wireless, single-chip, luminescence-sensing devices that will solve a number of difficult distributed measurement problems in areas ranging from environmental monitoring and assessment to high-throughput screening of combinatorial chemistry libraries. These wireless luminescence integrated sensors (WLIS) will consist of a microluminometer, wireless data transmitter, and RF power input circuit all realized in a standard integrated circuit process. Additionally a rugged thin-film protective coating will be developed that will allow the bioluminescent or bioreporter organism to be deposited directly on the WLIS device.

Bioluminescent Bioreporter Integrated Circuits for Monitoring Spacecraft Environments (contact Gary Sayler)
We propose the development of a family of microelectronic-based, whole-cell, bioluminescent biosensors that detect and quantify a number of compounds that threaten crew safety on future manned space missions. These devices are composed of Genetically engineered bioluminescent bacteria deposited on a specially designed integrated circuit (IC) to form low-mass, low-power, very specific chemical sensing elements. We call these sensors bioluminescent bioreporter integrated circuits (BBICs). This technology offers many advantages over conventional chemical species detection/identification methods, including no requirement for optical excitation or focusing elements, direct compatibility with any local area network communications protocol, very low-power operation, and a common sensor platform that minimizes the number of required spares.

Towards Intelligent Distributed Bioluminescence Detection of Biological Contamination and Stressors (contact Gary Sayler)
The object of this investigation is to develop a new generation of wireless biosensors to be applied for on-line monitoring of microbial contamination and radiation exposure in the spacecraft environment. The specific aims of the research are to develop new whole cell bioluminescent biosensor organisms that are fabricated directly with wireless integrated circuits to create Bioluminescent Bioreporter Integrated Circuits (BBIC). In the BBIC fabrication the bioluminescent biosensor organisms are engineered to produce light at 490 nm in response to specific physical or chemical agents. This light is transduced to a digital signal by the BBIC through the silicon-chip-based circuitry. The immediate aims of the research are to create two new BBIC prototypes; one for UV exposure and one for microbial detection based on chemical biosensing of microbial volatile organic compounds produced during growth on decay of contaminant organisms. In evaluation system integration for the space craft environment, the ultimate goal is to create an array or network of small, unobtrusive, low cost, low power BBICs for intelligent distributed monitoring of the space craft environment, as well as for planetary-based surface habitats.

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The Center for Environmental Biotechnology
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
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Knoxville, Tennessee 37996-1605
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