Development of an Autonomous Pathogen Detection System

An Autonomous Pathogen Detection System (APDS) is being designed and evaluated for use in domestic counter-terrorism. The goal is a fully automated system that utilizes both flow cytometry and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to continuously monitor the air for BW pathogens in major buildings or high profile events. A version 1 APDS system consisting of an aerosol collector, a sample preparation subsystem, and a flow cytometer for detecting the antibody-labeled target organisms has been completed and evaluated. Improved modules are under development for a version 2 APDS including a Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory-designed aerosol preconcentrator, a multiplex flow cytometer, and a flow-through PCR detector.