Biosensor Pinpoints Biologic Threats

A new biosensor system uses a "biologic fingerprint” to pinpoint the source of threatening organisms.

Called TIGER (triangulation identification for genetic evaluation of risks), the biosensor system was developed by Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Carlsbad, CA, USA), which has delivered a system to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Bioforensics Analysis Center (NBFAC). This group will use the system for microbial forensics, used in the investigation of crimes involving infectious organisms. The TIGER system can simultaneously identify thousands of infectious organisms in a sample, without needing to know beforehand what might be in the sample.

Isis plans to commercialize TIGER biosensor to government customers for use in biowarfare defense, epidemiologic surveillance, and forensics; and to nongovernment customers for use in pharmaceutical-process control, hospital-associated infection control, and infectious disease diagnostics.

"The utility of the TIGER biosensor system in microbial forensics isIbis division of Isis. "TIGER's ability to rapidly identify newly emerging organisms, down to the strain level, can provide public health officials and physicians with the critical information necessary to help track the spread of the infection, and ultimately, contain it.”

also applicable to additional commercial opportunities, where the ability to identify and contain emerging infectious diseases is key, such as in response to an epidemic of avian flu or SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome],” said Michael Treble, president of the



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