My current projects involve detection and quantification of selected biomolecules that are of interest to the Department of Homeland Security as potential biological threat agents. Assays for these agents must be very sensitive, highly specific, and reliable, even in the presence of the milieu of organisms found in complex environmental samples. We are currently developing antibody-based assays with fluorescence detection using the cell cytometry derived Luminex system. This system consists of arrays of spectrally distinct microspheres that can be coupled to antibodies, which in turn can bind to fluorescently tagged secondary antibodies. These microspheres are individually interrogated as they pass between two lasers in a rapidly flowing stream.

We are also working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under a joint NIST-EPA agreement to study various aspects of decontamination of a building’s water supply following terrorist attack with biological agents. In this study we are assessing the use of non-toxic surrogates, which could be used for large scale testing, as reliable indicators for the distribution and fate of the toxins of interest. This study involves of determination of the distribution and decontamination of the surrogates and toxins in the presence of biofilms which are present in a buildings supply lines and pipes. Detection and quantification assays are being developed for surrogates and toxins

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Publications

• “A Standard Reference Material to Determine the Sensitivity of Techniques for Detecting Low-Frequency Mutations, SNPs and Heteroplasmies in Mitochondrial DNA,” Diane K. Hancock, Lois A. Tully and Barbara C. Levin, submitted (2005)

• “Comparison of the Complete mtDNA Genome Sequences of Human Cell Lines – HL60 and GM10742A – from Individuals with Pro-Myelocutic Leukemia and Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, Respectively, and the Inclusion of HL-60 in the NIST Human Mitochondrial DNA Standard Reference Material – SRM 2392a,” Barbara C. Levin, Koren A. Holland, Diane K. Hancock, Michael Coble, Thomas J. Parsons, Laura J. Kienker, Diana W. Williams, MaryPat Jones, and Kristy L. Richie, Mitochondrion, 2, 387-400 (2003).

• “Design and Use of a Peptide Nucleic Acid for the Detection of the Heteroplasmic Low-Frequency MELAS (Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic Acidosis and Stroke-Like Episodes) Mutation in Human Mitochondrial DNA” Diane K. Hancock, Frederick P. Schwarz, Fenhong Song, Lee-Jun C. Wong and Barbara Levin, Clin. Chem., 48, 2155-2163 (2002).

  Patent

• “Use of Beta-hydroxyhistidine, 4-(Hydroxy-1-Alkyl) Imidazole or Derivatives thereof as Bidentate Dec. 6, 1994 Ligands for Use in Chelating Agents,” Diane K. Hancock, Patent Number 5,371,234, NIST # 92-037, issued