CombiMatrix Corporation
(Nasdaq:CBMX) announced today that it has received a four year contract
for $858,298 from NASA's Ames Research Center to design and test a microfluidic
system that incorporates CombiMatrix's semiconductor microarray as part of an
integrated genetic analysis platform that can be deployed in satellites. Funding
to CombiMatrix for the first year of this program will be $214,051 with three
option years at similar funding levels.
Dr. David Danley, CombiMatrix's Director of Homeland Security and Defense Programs
said, "NASA investigators recently reported that bacteria grown in a microgravity
environment became more virulent. As a result, NASA is concerned about the effects
of space flight on many aspects of bacterial genetics and metabolism. Our microfluidic
system and custom DNA microarray with electrochemical detection can be integrated
into a compact package to provide all of the capabilities of ground-based research
instruments for studying genetic changes in bacteria over time as they circle
the earth." This project is possible because CombiMatrix has reduced the
footprint of its array reader to the size of a cell phone. This device, which
is the industry's smallest and most cost-effective reader will be launched in
the third quarter of this year.
"The ability to have a completely automated sample collection, preparation,
and analysis system is obviously a necessity for space-based applications where
human technical intervention is not possible. The development of this system
for NASA will also enable highly automated systems for terrestrial applications
by the U.S. military, as well as non-military medical applications," stated
Dr. Amit Kumar, President and CEO of CombiMatrix. "Therefore, we are pleased
that this contract will enable dual-use applications, and that our technology
continues to find interest from U.S. government agencies."
Posted March 12th, 2009
