# Micro Breath Biomarker Analyzer

> **NIH NIH R43** · ZEBRA ANALYTIX, INC. · 2021 · $256,000

## Abstract

Project Summary
This Phase I SBIR will develop a microfabricated breath biomarker analyzer. There is an unmet
need for easy-to-use, cost-effective, miniature devices for rapid, specific, and sensitive analysis
of breath biomarkers, especially volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The proposed analyzer is
built on high-performance MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) gas chromatography (GC)
columns. A preliminary study demonstrated the MEMS column’s high separation efficiency and
speed, and developed a functional prototype of one-dimensional micro GC with a single MEMS
column. In this Phase I study, the MEMS column technology will be adopted to develop a
microfabricated comprehensive two-dimensional GC (micro GCxGC), so as to significantly
improve the separation power of micro GC and address the need for breath VOC
biomarker/profile analysis. Phase I specific aims are to create a prototype sampling device for
extraction and preconcentration of breath VOCs, demonstrate GCxGC with two MEMS columns
having orthogonal selectivity for breath VOCs on a benchtop GC, and create a proof-of-concept
prototype of the proposed MEMS column based breath VOC analyzer.
The proposed product aims to address the unmet need for point-of-need breath biomarker
studies. It is expected to have wide applications for personal exposure assessment and health
status monitoring.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10154757
- **Project number:** 1R43ES032752-01
- **Recipient organization:** ZEBRA ANALYTIX, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Chien Nguyen
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $256,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-02-18 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10154757

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10154757, Micro Breath Biomarker Analyzer (1R43ES032752-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10154757. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*