An acoustic wave cytosensor system for living cell study

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It has been recognized that living cells represent biologically evolved systems possessing all theattributes of smart materials. In some sense they represent the ultimate smart material. The majorchallenge in using living cells as highly sensitive selective and reliable sensors arises on how to transducethe biological changes of the cells under specific conditions into quantitative (or measurable) physicalparameters. In this project, we propose a three-years research effort to develop a Love-mode surfaceacoustic wave (SAW) biosensor that can be used to quantitatively probe the behavior of living cellattachment, spreading, and growth kinetics under various biological conditions. The ultimate goal is todemonstrate that the Love-mode SAW device can provide an electromechanical mechanism for highsensitive signal transduction that allows us to access the cells that attach on the surface of the device asthe biological element in this living cellLove-mode SAW biosensor system.The specific aims of this project are: 1) To design, modeling and characterize highly sensitive Love-mode SAW devices; 2) to develop a SAW sensor system consisting of a SAW sensor array, a mini-incubation system, and a microscope system; and 3) to show the functionality of this novel sensor systemby investigating adhesive/contractile activities of human tendon fibroblasts. This project will involvemodeling, design, fabrication, characterization, and biological evaluation of a novel cytosensor system.Broader Impact of This Project:When completed, this project will provide a novel sensor system that will be capable ofsimultaneously measuring multiple samples with a high degree of sensitivity. This study will also havesubstantial impact on the current biosensor research and development, and will greatly promote the use ofliving cells as transduction devices. The novel sensor system will be a powerful tool to study cellbiological events in a real-time, quick, easy, quantitative, and high throughput fashion, and will have widepotential applications not only in biomedical research but also in monitoring environmental contaminants,drug screening and efficacy testing, bacteria and virus testing in the food industry and for anti-bioterrorism applications.The education aspects of this program will include interdisciplinary research training of both graduateand undergraduate researchers; hands-on research training opportunities for K-12 students in eachsummer semester through the Pitt Engineering Career Access Program (PECAP); and summer researchtraining for undergraduate students from underrepresented groups through Summer Engineering Academy(SEA) program coordinated by the Diversity and Minority Engineering Programs. The research activitiesproposed in this project will be incorporated into new courses for both undergraduate and graduatestudent as advanced topics.