MS2 Array has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the NIH through the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). The project entitled "RNA and DNA analysis and detection by fluorous high-throughput MS" utilizes MS2 Array's technology to expand the capabilities of high-throughput mass spectrometry to the detection of RNA and DNA substrates. The Aims of the grant include optimizing protocols for nucleic acid analysis using fluorous modified MS targets, utilization of the technology for a microRNA biogenesis assay, and detection of microRNAs from cell lysates.
The work will be conducted in collaboration with Prof. Alex Deiters of the University of Pittsburgh. Prof. Deiters was one of the first researchers to report small molecule modulators of a microRNA and provides valuable expertise in microRNAs and nucleic acids and examplifies MS2 Array's commitment to working with scientific leaders.