Innovation:Layout 1 14/1/10 19:56 Page 30
Drug Discovery
Figure 2
This graphic of an array of
cantilevers demonstrates the
deflection based on binding to
a tethered molecule.
Deflections as small as 10nM
and up to 100s of nM can be
reproducibly measured.
Courtesy of Manuel Vogtli of the
London Centre for
Nanotechnology
settings. However, BSI is significantly different and Vogtli, is a PhD candidate at the London Centre
innovative. The discovery of BSI is attributed to Dr for Nanotechnology (LCN, a joint venture
Darryl Bornhop, Professor of Chemistry at between the University College London and
Vanderbilt University (www.vanderbilt.edu) while Imperial College London, www.london-
he was studying for his doctorate. His presentation nano.com). He presented his work on the appli-
of this technology at a recent ELRIG meeting cation of nanotechnology to produce multiple
(Liverpool, September 2009) outlined the theory arrays of cantilevers for biological assays. The
and potential for drug discovery (Figure 1). The method measures the deflection of the cantilever
method is based on measuring the shift in the inter- based on the binding of biomolecules. While his
ference fringe pattern that results from binding research is focused on understanding drug resist-
events on a CCD camera. It is now being devel- ance in bacteria, the application for binding reac-
oped for drug discovery in a microfluidic channel tions is obvious. An important aspect of this tech-
format by Molecular Sensing (www.molsense.com) nology is that the cantilever deflection (Figure 2)
where Dr Bornhop is a founder and Chief is not a function of mass so the measurement of
Technical Officer. Volumes as low as 1nL can be small molecule binding is possible. Cantilevers
measured in solution without any components are just one aspect of nanotechnology being
being immobilised. This could add an innovative researched at LCN. The field of nanotechnology
label-free assay technology to advance the speed covers everything from material science, con-
and relevance of measuring binding reactions. sumer products, supercomputing, single atom
The drive toward greater sensitivity and minia- manipulation and single molecule measurements
turisation has been a goal in drug discovery and on carbon nanotubes. It is a field worth watching
diagnostics. Advances made in the broad field of for some groundbreaking advances.
nanotechnology are being applied to this applica- Both BSI and cantilevers are highly miniaturised,
tion. I was fortunate enough to review an abstract label-free, sensitive and measure small volumes at
on cantilever assays in biology for a presentation physiological concentrations. They can be multi-
at MipTec (an annual drug discovery conference plexed in small systems for multiple simultaneous
in Basel, Switzerland). The lead author, Manual measurements. These attributes could make these
30 Drug Discovery World Winter 2009/10
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