Speaker: Peter Scholl, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Rd., Laurel, MD, 20723

Topic: MALDI-TOF-MS Deteciton of Aerosolized Bacterial Spores in the Presence of Environmental Clutter

Place: Building 426, Conference Room, NCI-Frederick, Frederick, MD

Time: Tuesday, November 13, 2001, at 2:00 PM

Abstract: Under the sponsorship of the Defense Advanced Research Program Agency, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory has undertaken a program of research and development of an automated and field portable MADLI-TOF-MS system for the detection of aerosolized threat agents. In this system, aerosol particles are collected via their inertial impaction on video camera recording tape and chemically treated prior to MALDI-TOF-analysis. An overview of the lessons learned in the construction, design and testing of this system will be presented. A major unresolved issue with regard to this approach is the effect of background environmental components (clutter) on the sensitivity and specificity of MALDI-TOF-MS detection strategies. Here we present an analysis of the performance of the JHU-APL system using co-aerosolized B. globigii spores and environmental clutter to simulate the aerosol dissemination of anthrax spores in the field.