Invitrogen develops handheld biothreat detectors

Invitrogen has developed handheld biothreat detectors at the request of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, it has emerged.

A 3.9 million dollar (1.9 million pound) scheme saw the firm employed to create a portable unit for the identification of multiple biothreat agents.

The device is capable of indicating the levels of a number of different toxins from a single sample, the company advises.

Vice-president and general manager of applied markets at Invitrogen Paul Kinnon states: "We continue to leverage Invitrogen’s broad portfolio of technologies for homeland security and biodefense applications."

He adds that the manufacturer is also focusing on "transitioning these technologies to civilian applications such as testing water and foods for pathogens".

The basis of the unit is an array of proteins derived from organic sources which are said to detect and analyse biomolecular interactions.

Invitrogen typically supplies equipment to facilitate such analysis for government institutions and academic establishments, the company reveals.