University licenses explosives-detection technology.

• Position: SECURITY BEAT: Homeland Defense Briefs

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md., has signed an agreement with Link Plus Corporation of Columbia, Md., granting worldwide, exclusive rights to its "molecularly imprinted polymer" explosives detection technology.

The molecularly imprinted polymer sensor uses specific chemical reactions to detect explosive compounds. Under the licensing agreement, Link Plus can make, use, market and sell products incorporating the APL-developed technology.

Work with these synthetic compounds began in the 1950s and focused on silica gels. In the early 1990s, APL chemist George Murray began exploring methods to incorporate MIPs into sensors to meet the requests of different APL sponsors. Sensors to detect narcotics, iron, copper, explosives, uranium, chloride, phosphates and proteins were among the many...