Codon Devices Awarded $1.5 Million Grant by National Institute of Standards and Technology.Funding to Be Used for Development of Automated Microfluidics Platform for DNA Assembly DNA assembly is the process of putting fragments of DNA that have been sequenced into their correct chromosomal positions. The pieces of DNA are assembled to reconstitute the sequence of the chromosome from which they came. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- Codon codon: see nucleic acid. Devices, Inc., the Constructive Biology Company[TM], today announced that it has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology National Institute of Standards and Technology, governmental agency within the U.S. Dept. of Commerce with the mission of "working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements, and standards" in the national interest. (NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology, Washington, DC, www.nist.gov) The standards-defining agency of the U.S. government, formerly the National Bureau of Standards. It is one of three agencies that fall under the Technology Administration (www.technology. ). With the support of the grant, Codon Devices will develop an integrated microfluidics platform to significantly reduce the cost and complexity of building complex DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. fragments. This platform will advance the state of the art in gene synthesis Gene synthesis is the process of synthesizing an artificially designed gene into a physical DNA sequence. Gene synthesis was first demonstrated by Har Gobind Khorana in 1970 for a short artificial gene. to improve the utility of synthetic biology approaches for biotechnology research. "We are thrilled that NIST has recognized Codon Devices with this ATP ATP: see adenosine triphosphate. ATP in full adenosine triphosphate Organic compound, substrate in many enzyme-catalyzed reactions (see catalysis) in the cells of animals, plants, and microorganisms. award," said Brian M. Baynes, Founder and President of Codon Devices. "Funding from this initiative will enable us to develop a new generation of rapid, automated systems for construction of longer, more complex DNA sequences. By integrating this technology with our BioFAB[TM] Production Platform, we will make these new tools available to our customers and partners and accelerate critical applications such as drug discovery and development of renewable energy systems." The NIST award was granted under the Agency's Advanced Technology Program (ATP). Awarded projects were selected for funding by a competitive, peer-reviewed process that evaluated the scientific and technical merit of each proposal and the potential for broad-based benefits to the nation. NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. About Codon Devices Codon Devices, Inc., based in Cambridge, MA, is a privately-held biotechnology company focused on enabling commercial applications of synthetic biology. Codon Devices' proprietary synthesis and design technologies improve the productivity of its industrial, pharmaceutical and academic customers in a paradigm shift A dramatic change in methodology or practice. It often refers to a major change in thinking and planning, which ultimately changes the way projects are implemented. For example, accessing applications and data from the Web instead of from local servers is a paradigm shift. See paradigm. to what the Company calls Constructive Biology[TM]. The Company's focus is on developing and delivering high-value products and design services in a variety of application areas, including engineered gene libraries, engineered cells that produce novel pharmaceuticals, improved vaccines, agricultural products, and biorefineries for the production of industrial chemicals and energy. Codon Devices' BioFAB[TM] Production Platform uses sophisticated informatics, robotics and sequencing technologies to accurately synthesize genetic codes orders of magnitude more rapidly and cost-effectively than other currently available technology. More information about Codon Devices is available at www.codondevices.com. |
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