MENLO PARK, Calif., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- SRI International, an independent nonprofit research and development institute, has received a $3.8M contract from the Department of Health and Human Services Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). SRI will research and develop a device to triage individuals who may have been exposed to ionizing radiation after a radiological or nuclear incident.
To develop the radiation assessment device, the research team will combine a handheld detection technology platform with an assay format and biomarker panel. The tool will detect biological characteristics, known as biomarkers, to provide measures of an individual’s exposure to radiation and provide test results within 15 minutes.
In this first phase of the project, SRI will test and validate a panel of biomarkers to determine if they are accurate indicators of radiation levels. In subsequent phases, SRI will develop a prototype radiation dose assessment tool known as a biodosimeter. This handheld device will ultimately be used in clinical tests to demonstrate that the amount of radiation to which an individual has been exposed can be measured quickly by detecting biomarkers in a noninvasively collected sample such as blood, urine, or saliva. The biodosimeter will be designed as a simple tool for reading test results, as easy to use as a standard home pregnancy test kit.
About SRI International
Silicon Valley-based SRI International is one of the world’s leading independent research and technology development organizations. SRI, which was founded by Stanford University as Stanford Research Institute in 1946 and became independent in 1970, has been meeting the strategic needs of clients and partners for more than 60 years. Perhaps best known for its introduction of interactive computing and the invention of the computer mouse, SRI has also been responsible for major advances in networking and communications, robotics, drug discovery and development, advanced materials, atmospheric research, education research, economic development, national security, and more. The nonprofit institute performs sponsored research and development for government agencies, businesses, and foundations. SRI also licenses its technologies, forms strategic alliances, and creates spin-off companies. In 2008, SRI’s consolidated revenues, including its wholly owned for-profit subsidiary, Sarnoff Corporation, were approximately $490 million.
CONTACT: Lindsay Sheppard, +1-650-859-2491, lindsay.sheppard@sri.com, or
Ellie Javadi, +1-650-859-4874, Ellie.javadi@sri.com, both of SRI
International
Web site: http://www.sri.com/
