# On-chip filtration and fractionation components for high-sensitive POC device to measure Chiral Metabolites in Urine

> **NIH NIH R41** · SYGNAMAP, INC. · 2021 · $307,230

## Abstract

Project Summary:
In diagnosis of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, and neurologic
disease, urine metabolites are increasingly being used to stratify patients for clinical trials. Many
of the metabolites are chiral with D- and L- enantiomers. These enantiomers are often produced
via different molecular pathways and can have significantly different biological functions.
Quantitation of chiral metabolites in biofluids (urine and blood) can be used as an in vitro
diagnostic and companion diagnostic to guide patient stratification and choice of a specific
therapeutic. Conventional POCs or analytical methods are limited because they only measure
single metabolites or single chiral metabolite at a given time. Measurement of multiple chiral
metabolites is challenging and expensive, often requires optimization of mass spectrometry
techniques and takes hours to days to complete. The limitations of the existing methods render
measurements of chiral metabolites impractical for speedy decisions needed for clinical trials or
patient care. New devices and technologies are urgently needed for a fast, accurate and
simultaneous measurement of multiple chiral metabolites. To this end, we propose to develop a
new point of care device which could rapidly and cost-effectively measure multiple chiral
metabolites with high sensitivity. Our innovation is the development of an integrated optofluidic
device with plasmonic metamaterials that greatly enhance detection of chirality and improve
sensitivity of measurement as much as 107-fold in <10 ul of biofluids. In Phase I we will focus
on developing capabilities to filter and fractionate the biofluid and quantify the chiral molecules
from biofluids. This novel multiplex technology will enhance and rapidly perform chirality
identification and quantification in biofluids leading to significant cost saving and promote
precision medicine.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10256183
- **Project number:** 1R41GM143348-01
- **Recipient organization:** SYGNAMAP, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Leila Hejazi
- **Activity code:** R41 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $307,230
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-22 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10256183

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10256183, On-chip filtration and fractionation components for high-sensitive POC device to measure Chiral Metabolites in Urine (1R41GM143348-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10256183. Licensed CC0.

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