ASU was granted a four-year contract from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense Monday to develop a diagnostic tool that will be able to quickly detect infectious diseases before symptoms occur.
The tool will be used both to protect military personnel from bioterrorism and in practical medical settings to combat disease.
With a contract valued at more than $30.7 million, the tool will be developed by Stephen Albert Johnston, co-director of the Center for Innovations in Medicine at ASU’s Biodesign Institute; George Poste, chief scientist of the Complex Adaptive Systems Initiative at ASU; and Neal Woodbury, co-director of the Center for Innovations in Medicine.
The technology will be silicon-chip based and will detect highly specific antibodies produced in relation to a range of different infectious diseases.
Knowledge Enterprise Development Senior Vice President Sethuraman Panchanathan said the federal contract was one of the largest in ASU's history.
"Our success in securing this federal contract ... is a compelling validation of the strength of our research faculty and our growing track record in innovation and technology," Panchanathan said.
Reach the reporter at dgrobmei@asu.edu
