Digg icon reddit icon Stumbleupon icon
Print Email     Print Edition Stories

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Aurora Flight Sciences, Draper Labs land NASA SBIR contract

By Mass High Tech staff

NASA has awarded Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., working alongside the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase 1 contract to research and develop a miniaturized, lightweight and microgravity-compatible system to count white blood cells. The amount of the contract was not revealed.

NASA’s future missions to other planets necessitate an understanding of blood cell count and how it changes cardiovascularly, officials from the Cambridge-based research and development arm of Aurora said.

To research and develop an “On-Orbit Immuno-based, Label-free, White Blood Cell Counting System with MicroElectroMechanical (MEMS) Technology” (OILWBCS-MEMS), Aurora researchers will preserve white blood cell-specific antibodies on gold-coated membranes, using Draper Labs’ MEME technology; the antibodies will cling to cells’ surface protein antigens during blood flow and conduct cell counts.

This Phase 1 contract is intended to show the operations of the white blood cell counting system.

In addition to its Cambridge R&D site, Aurora maintains its headquarters ini Manassas, Va., and its production plants in Bridgeport, W.Va., and Columbus, Miss. The company also develops robotic aircraft for use in science and military applications.

 

Digg icon reddit icon Stumbleupon icon
Contact Editor Latest News

Comments

Please Login/Register to post comments.

No comments have been added or approved.

On the MHT blog now

Flagsuit wins another NASA Astronaut Glove Challenge

Southwest Harbor, Maine's Peter Homer won $450,000 in NASA's Astronaut Glove Challenge yesterday. This is Homer's second time winning the contest. Homer's first win in 2007 launched his startup, Flagsuit. Flagsuit is developing pressure suits using the same technology as Homer's prizewinning gloves -- for use as a wearable substitute for hyperbaric chambers used to treat conditions such as ...

Read More

Most Popular Stories
EmailedViewed
Stay Informed
Check which newsletter you'd like to receive.
TechFlash (Daily)
FinanceFlash (Daily)
BioFlash (Daily)
GreenFlash (Weekly)
Startup Report (Weekly)
Breaking news, MHT events, local announcements
RSS feeds
Your email:

Affiliate publications: ACBJ.com, Boston Business Journal, Bizjournals.com, Portfolio.com, Wired.com

Web Site Developed by Neptune Web, Inc.

Use of, registration on, this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement. Please read our Privacy Policy (updated) A publishing partner with Portfolio