Press Release

MicroFab receives SBIR award from National Institute of Health for the development of an ink-jet based system for MALDI MS Imaging.

Plano, Texas (April 6, 2007)

MicroFab Technologies announces the award of a NIH Phase I SBIR program entitled, “Ink-jet Matrix Coating System for MALDI MS Imaging”. This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project has the objective of designing and building an ink-jet based system for the microdeposition of matrix and other solutions onto tissue sections during the processes of MALDI MS imaging. MALDI MS imaging is a more rapid and label free method to reveal how proteins and peptides are spatially distributed within a biological sample based on a series of mass spectral snapshots of intact tissue slices. The microspot deposition of matrix and other imaging solutions enables the highly focused extraction of the analyte from the sample, while avoiding horizontal diffusion and redistribution. Minimizing protein delocalization and increasing the signal to noise ratio will result in a greater resolved MALDI MS image. In addition, ink-jet microdispensing provides for successive overprinting of the matrix spot array to increase individual spot wetting. Thus, localized protein extraction can be controlled to address the solubility of proteins from different tissue types, i.e. liver vs brain.

About the Company

Based in Plano, Texas, MicroFab Technologies has pioneered digital microdispensing technologies for the past 21 years. MicroFab’s mission is to be the leading global supplier of printing platforms, devices, and services that enable high-payoff applications for microdispensing and precision printing in a wide range of industries. Commercial applications of the technology include microdispensing of electrical and optical polymers, bioactive materials (Proteins, DNA, Reagents), solder, adhesives, and nanoparticle laden fluids.

Contact Information

MicroFab Technologies is at www.microfab.com. Contact Dr. David B. Wallace, Vice-President, Technology Development, at microinfo3@microfab.com or by phone at 972-578-8076 (ext. 12).