"BioForce's nanoarray format provides a platform for analyses in applications involving extremely small quantities of sample material where the use of current microarray formats is not feasible," said BioForce Nanosciences researcher Janice Huff.
The nanoarray contains molecules at defined locations, allowing thousands of bioaffinity tests to be performed in the area occupied by a single microarray spot. BioForce also produces the Nanoreader, a customized atomic force microscope that is optimized for reading nanoarray chips.
BioForce says that the research will provide useful information for the future development of sensitive breast-cancer screening tests; monitoring clinical disease progression; defining appropriate drug targets; and monitoring an individual patient's response to chemotherapeutic drugs.
Earlier in the year, the company announced a collaboration with the US National Cancer Institute/Food and Drug Administration to make a pre-malignant cancer and proteomic-based drug-screening assay using its nanoarray technology.
BioForce Nanosciences says that it is actively seeking partnerships with life-science companies.