Beacon:
analytical instrumentation software
for identifying fluorescent oligonucleotides
used in encoded microbeads
Purpose: The purpose of the BEACON project is to develop
software that can identify the exact combination of flourescent
oligonucleotides (Molecular Beacons) in a solution. The
software will be used to support the patent of a new
progress that uses Molecular Beacons to spectrally encode
Microbeads used in biological assays. The software will
process data from a spectrofluormeter.
Approach and engineering experiment: Beacon was developed
by a project team consisting of a Sciene and Mathematics
Expert, a Software Designer, and a Software Coder. The
BEACON team used a pop-down approach to create the software,
utilising requirements analysis, design, coding, integration,
testing, and validation. Result: Beacon is written in
the Matlab scripting language and has a Graphical User
Interface. BEACON uses smoothing algorithms, identification
and analysis of key derivative points, and a reference
table of melting temperatures and corresponding beacons.
Processing is performed on real data arrays.
Conclusion: The team has successfully developed instrumentation
software capable of taking data from a spectrofluorometer
and analyzing it to obtain the specific melting point
of a Molecular Beacon with a melting point of a Molecular
Beacon with a specific fluorophor and the corresponding
beacon name. This software, combined with the new process
of utilising Molecular Beacons to encode Microbeads will
dramatically advance the field of biological testing.
Utilizing current testing techniques, it is only possible
to test for a small number of genetic markers during
a single test. With BEACON and the new process, simultaneous
identification of hundreds of genetic markers during
a single test will be possible.
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