Archived projects

Bruxelles Woluwe

DLD 04 - Development of a mobile platform for simultaneous identification of main pathogenic biological agents under operational conditions (bacterial agents of Class A CDC and WHO list of 12 bastards)

(2012-2016)
Cathy DELCORPS, Anne-Sophie PIETTE, Stéphane VAN CAUWENBERGHE

This study develops a portable microarray detection platform of all biological agents during a single test, using patented sequence (CTMA/DLD-Bio WO/2005/090596). Previous studies have developed an operational identification of hazardous biological agents capacity, but often detecting only one agent at a time. In the absence of clinical or epidemiological guidance, the identification of biological agents is done sequentially, which may require the completion of dozens of tests.

This leads to very high expenses and waste of time, limitation in sample analysis rate according to the expending number of analyses required and the risk of contamination. This study combines the Rolling Circle Amplification (RCA) with the tridimensional microarray Pamgene ® for the development of tests enabling simultaneous identification of main biological agents on a single platform and a single multiplex assay.

 


BFREE (Biological Free mixed CBRN samples for safe handling and analysis) - European Defense Agency (EDA) 1st Joint Investment Programme on CBRN Issues (JIP-CBRN1)

(2012-2014)
Mostafa BENTAHIR
International cooperation: FFI (Norway) (Coordination), Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) (Sweden), CTMA, Bundeswehr Research Institute for Protective Technologie NBC Protection – WIS (Germany), TNO (The Netherlands),  Ministère de la Défense - DGA - CBRN Defence – CEB (France), Austrian Federal Ministry of Defence and Sport – BMLVS (Austria)

The project aims at obtaining an efficient sample processing and risk mitigation method for both ensuring safe handling and the following analysis of CBRN mixed samples. It will focus on developing a set of validated procedures agreed among a network of European nations to separate a potential mixture of CBRN agents into distinct C, B, RN aliquots that are further prepared and analysed simultaneously, in parallel and/or successively, independent of sample matrix and reducing the turn-around-time for analysis.

The scientific and technological innovation is highlighted and edged on the development of methods/protocols for removal of B agents, and which do not have a negative impact on the CRN agents, to ensure safety of personnel when performing the analysis of C and R agents. Various methodologies will be tested among several European nations to recommend the most optimal methods for rapid, reliable, sensitive, specific, efficient and cost effective analysis of CBRN mixed samples. BFREE will consider previous studies and results from NATO, EDA and EU projects while focusing on improving one of the first crucial steps in preparing the mixed CBRN samples for analysis.

The outcome of BFREE will provide European harmonized approaches for civilian and military laboratories and standardized operating procedures for handling such samples.

 


EU Seventh Framework Programme (7FP) Funded Research on Security

 


EDEN - End-user driven DEmo for CBRNE

(2013-2016)
Anne-Sophie PIETTE, Benjamin SMITS, Maria Elke VAN OOSTERHOUT, Olga VYBORNOVA
Consortium: BAE Systems (United Kingdom), Astrium-SAS-AST (France), FFI (Norway), Technoalimenti (Italy), Selex (Italy), University Paris XII - SAMU (France), Skola Glowna Slubzby Pozarniczej SGSP (Poland), Centre for Science, society and citizenship (CSSC) (Italy), Astri Polska Spolka Z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnoscia APL (Poland), Instituto Affari Internazionali IAI (Italy),  CBRNE Ltd (United Kingdom), CTMA, LDI Innovation OU LDI2 (Estonia), Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V (Germany), Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT (Finland), Fondation sur la recherche stratégique (FRS) (France),  Indra Sistemas (Spain), Institut national de l’envirronnement et des risques (INERIS) (France), SICPA Product Security (Switzerland), Magen David ADOM in Israel (MDA) (Israel),  Premyslowy Instytut Automatyki I Pomiarow (PIAP) (Poland), Hotzone Solutions BENELUX (HZS) (The Netherlands), Agenzia Nazionale per le Nuove Technologie, L'ENERGIA - ENEA (Italy), Société Nuclétudes (NUC) (France), Omnidata (OMNI) (Romania), Universidao del Pais Vasco UPV/EHU (Spain), University of Reading (UREAD) (United Kingdom), Bruker Daltonics (BRU) (United Kingdom), Ldiamon (Estonia), Microfluidic Chipshop (Germany), Robert Koch Institut (RKI) (Germany), European Virtual Institute for Integrated Risk Management (EU-VRi) (Germany), Centrum Badan Kosmicznych Polskeij Akadamii Nauk (Poland), Asociacion de Investigacion de la Industria Agroalimentaria (AINIA) (Spain), Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC) (Italy), Umea University (UMU) (Sweden)

EDEN aims at demonstrating the added value of a Light Fieldable Biology Laboratory (LBFL) for the response to specific B threat scenarios. The LFBL integrates a set of bricks either operational or at least characterized by high TRL. Short cycle R&D in collaboration with EDEN partners is required to allow full integration of innovative system (e.g. rapid low cost bio inactivation assessment).

CTMA is in charge of testing and validating the LFL in the integrated demonstration of CBRN resilience along the whole food chain, from suppliers to potential casualties and integrates the LFL tool in the EDEN toolbox.