SENSORS: Detecting Microbial Pathogens with Novel Surface Acoustic Wave Devices in Liquid Environments

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This SENSORS proposal integrates research and education to exploit the sensitivity of a newfamily of LGX crystal devices operated in novel Shear Horizontal Surface Acoustic Wave (SH-SAW)propagation directions by combining them with highly selective molecular padlock probes to detectspecific nucleic acid sequences associated with bacteria such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonellatyphi, and Vibrio cholerae in aqueous solutions. The anticipated fundamental advances in sensor scienceand engineering will be relevant to numerous applications, including rapid response to bioterrorism,healthcare, epidemiology, agriculture, food safety, and pollution avoidance and mitigation.This SENSORS program builds upon the initial proof-of-concept results provided by an NSFSGER project funded by the divisions of Electrical and Communication Systems, and Bioengineering andEnvironmental Systems. The intellectual merit of this proposal rests in the creative, integrated researchand education activities related to combining the recently identified LGX SH-SAW devices withmolecular padlock probe technology to permit the design, fabrication, testing, and optimization ofprototype biosensors. The specific research objectives of this SENSORS program are to: (i) Identify thesurface density chemistry for increased sensitivity; (ii) Investigate and identify the optimal LGX SH-SAWorientation and device design for operation with the padlock technology; (iii) Study and develop themolecular padlock probe system to operate effectively in conjunction with the LGX SH-SAW device; (iv)Fabricate and test the prototype SH-SAW liquid biosensors; (v) Identify and optimize a procedure forsensor regeneration; and (vi) Characterize and optimize the sensor's dynamic range and cross-effects dueto temperature and other physical and chemical factors.The educational objective of this SENSORS program is to provide a multidisciplinary learningexperience to students ranging from high school to graduate student level in the area of sensors in general,and biosensors in particular. Broader impacts will be achieved through the following programs andactivities to: (i) Train and interact with high school audiences through two major ongoing programs atUniversity of Maine (UMaine), NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) and the GK-12 Sensors;(ii) Involve undergraduates from Maine and other institutions directly into the research project under theumbrella of the ongoing NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the UMaine;(iii) Expand existing undergraduate Sensor Technology and Instrumentation and Biochemical EngineeringEngineering courses at the UMaine by adding modules relating to biosensors devices and systems; (iv)Identify appropriate Capstone projects for undergraduates involving cross-disciplinary research and designprojects; (v) Enhance existing graduate level courses Microscale Bioengineering and Design andFabrication of Acoustic Wave Devices by incorporating research results into the course; (vi) Contribute tothe new interdisciplinary multi-institutional NSF Integrative Graduate Education and ResearchTraineeship (IGERT) program in functional genomics, which involves UMaine, the Jackson Laboratory,and the Maine Medical Center Research Institute; (vi) Provide a experimental and/or theoretical thesistopics for Masters and Ph.D. students; (vii) Disseminate the research and educational material on a projectwebsite, and through conferences and printed literature.The SENSORS project proposed here is designed to result in tangible research and educationalbenefits. It will provide a knowledge base critical to creation of the next generation of biosensors forsingle unit production and future integration into arrays. It also seeks to establish a model programwhereby cross-disciplinary education is integrated with a state-of-the-art research program, providing arich learning experience for students ranging from high school to graduate student level. Finally, theproject will help to strengthen US research and educational capabilities in an area of high technology thatcurrently is in need of highly trained industry and academic professionals.