Nanosphere Beacons for Real-Time Detection In-Vivo
	In this Phase I project funded by DARPA, Accacia and their collaborators Ellington Labs at the University of Texas at Austin, have focused on the design and synthesis of novel biosensors by combining the properties of quantum dots with the sensory capabilities of molecular beacons and aptamers, nucleic acids binding species. The resultant quantum dot beacons provide for sensitive detection of both nucleic acid targets as well as protein targets, and offer the potential for the design of novel intracellular monitoring devices.
Blocking HIV with aptamers targeted to viral components
	This multi-project four year grant is being funded by National Institutes of Health (NIH). Four groups including Accacia are currently working under this grant. The overall goal of this project is to block HIV replication using RNA aptamers or slow down resistance and eliminate non-adherence. Accacia in partnership with Dr. Andrew Ellington at the University of Texas at Austin , Austin-TX is currently involved in high throughput selection of RNA aptamers to various HIV-1 targets. In collaboration with Dr. Vinayaka Prasad from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx , NY and Dr. Paul Johnson from New England Primate Research Center , Southborough , MA , and high throughput selected aptamers are assayed for anti-viral efficacy in tissue culture and animal models.
Novel Aptamer: Peptide Based Assays for Homeland Security
	This is a phase II grant funded by the Department of homeland security to Accacia in partnership with Dr. Ellington at the University of Texas at Austin , Austin-TX. During the phase I period, Accacia and the Ellington Lab at the University of Texas at Austin collaborated to successfully accomplish the goal to develop an adaptable reagent system for the detection of bio-threat agents, Bacillus anthracis and Bacillus subtilis. In Phase II, Accacia is developing a system composed of novel nucleic acids and peptide conjugates that are capable of detecting specific bio-threat agents. These assays will be detected by planar fluorescence polarization detection.
Polyvalent Aptamer networks
	Accacia has recently been awarded this grant under Small Business Innovative research program (SBIR) from Department of Defense (DOD- Air Force). Under this project Accacia in collaboration with Dr. Ellington plans to develop a novel selection method that will both generate high affinity aptamers in a single step and significantly reduce the cost of synthesis of aptamers.
T7 RNA polymerase engineering and RNA amplification
	Presently being negotiated, this is an NIH (Division of Genetics and Developmental Biology ) funded Phase II grant in collaboration with Dr. Ellington. Our collaborator Dr. Ellington previously worked in this project as a Phase I grant. In Phase II, Accacia's overall goal of this project is to dramatically increase the sensitivity of T7 RNA polymerase-based linear RNA amplification for micro-array profile applications .