INNOSENSE CORPORATION — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mercury (Hg) has been recognized as having serious im
INNOSENSE CORPORATION — SBIR Phase I award from Department of Health and Human Services.
- Amount
- $241,636
- Agency
- Department of Health and Human Services · National Institutes of Health
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Solicitation
- PA13-088
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- CA
- Period
- —
Description
DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mercury (Hg) has been recognized as having serious impacts on human health due to its toxicity and bioaccumulation via the food chain. Elevated exposure to Hg can affect the liver, kidneys, and cardiovascular, gastro-intestinal, and neurological systems of the human body. Inorganic Hg (Hg2+) can cause chronic kidney disease (CKD) and kidney failure. Methylmercury (CH3Hg+), an organic form of Hg, is highly toxic to living systems. CH3Hg+ causes nervous system damage leading to problems with coordination, numbness, and visual impairment. Death from CH3Hg+ poisoning usually occurs 2-4 days after the first symptoms occur. Therefore, detecting CH3Hg+ and Hg2+ ions is highly important to human health. Currently, there is no simple, point of care (POC) system for detecting these toxins. To meet this need, InnoSense LLC (ISL) aims to develop a carbon nanotube-based MerSense assay for cost-effective, POC detection of CH3Hg+ and Hg2+ ions with high sensitivity and selectivity.