Technology Opportunity
Invention Available for Licensing and Commercialization
Gas Chromatography
Enhancer
The gas chromatography enhancer is a device that is added
to the gas chromatography (GC) oven.
The general purpose of this invention is to enhance the capabilities of
a gas chromatograph in four specific performance areas in a novel and low cost
manner. The column can be attached to
the device in seconds, and researchers no longer need to thread a column
through modulators, cryo focuser bodies or swage fittings. The performance areas that are enhanced by
this invention include:
1)
In
pre column configuration – sample focusing
2)
In
mid column configuration – resolution enhancement, GC/GC
3)
In
post column configuration – GC peak enhancement
4)
Pre
selective GC peak enhancement
A change in viral tropism occurs in many HIV
positive individuals over time, and this change is indicated by a shift in
coreceptor usage that has been shown to correlate with increased disease
pathogenesis. Therefore,
application of the diagnostic
method to monitor shifts in coreceptor usage is useful for predicting disease
progression.
Understanding coreceptor usage during potent
antiretroviral therapy is relevant to HIV-1 dynamics and the maintenance of
viral suppression and clinical
response. The method utilizes a
mathematical model to measure the proportion of virus in a specimen that uses
each coreceptor. Coreceptor utilization
studies may have a role in virologic monitoring of patients on antiviral
therapy, particularly as drugs
are developed which target R5 or X4 strains of HIV-1. The diagnostic method and the mathematical
model provide a laboratory
technique
to monitor the effectiveness of antiviral therapy.
1)
Low
cost system add on to existing GC to improve operating methods
2)
Detection
enhancement over a broad spectrum of organic analysis is possible
3)
Improve
the detectability of trace components in the industry fields of petroleum,
food, pharmaceutical, forensic and environmental sample analysis
4)
The
detection of ultra trace contaminants in human serum would be an application of
post-separation GC peak focusing.
1)
Easy
to install on any existing GC
2)
The
Modulator/Enhancer works by altering the elution characteristics of analytes by
cooling and then reheating a small portion of the capillary GC column during a
GC separation. This general activity
can be applied to GC separation to enhance chromatographic peak profiles.
3)
The
Gas Chromatography Enhancer can easily be positioned in different locations
along the length of the column to enhance the performance of different aspects
of gas chromatographic separations.
4)
Provides
greater signal to noise, lower detection limits and greater sensitivity.
5)
As
a GC Modulator, it is capable of greater range in the timing of the cooling and
heating portions of the modulation cycle than in current art.
6) The technology could potentially be configured to automatically control the Pre Column enhancer, in its cryo trap mode, and the Post Column enhancer in a pre-selective peak enhancement mode, hence producing many orders of magnitude in peak sensitivity and signal/noise improvement.
HRI seeks commercial
partners to develop the technology for research and commercial use. Available for licensing.
Bob Gallo
Associate Director Technology Transfer
Health Research, Inc.
One University Place
Rensselaer, NY 12144-3456
(518) 431-1208 Fax (518) 431-1234