STTR Phase I: Miniature Biosensor Utilizing Nanomaterial Coatings

该小企业技术转让（STTR）计划提出将光子传感，纳米技术和生物技术相结合，以展示一种用于实验室使用和快速响应生物威胁的新型生物传感器。拟议的设备将由一种新型的化学-生物传感器构成，该传感器使用光纤光栅传感器技术，并通过独特的新型纳米材料涂层进行增强。新的传感方法与纳米材料特性的结合将导致低成本，快速，高灵敏度和微型设备，能够电池操作和集成到一个可部署的单元。已经证明可以探测到液体和空气中的目标，该技术将探测细菌、神经毒剂、蛋白质和爆炸物。最终设备的预期检测限范围从100到1000倍，比目前使用现有的实验室系统更好。这种生物传感器的发展将需要在光学物理，生物化学，聚合物和界面化学的协调多学科的努力。如果成功，拟议的项目将促进以下领域的科学知识：（1）通过研究光子波导结构和覆盖的纳米材料膜中的电磁/光场相互作用，推进对光子传感的理解，（2）通过研究亲和配体与离子自组装多层膜之间的共价结合机制，推进纳米材料应用的发展（ISAM）膜聚合物，导致用于并入多个类别的目标的通用程序，（3）推进利用自动推理机的组合评估技术的开发以减少对高特异性感测载体的需求，最终导致智能感测和减少的假警报指示，和（4）通过支持弗吉尼亚理工大学的研究生和本科生，特别是在凝聚态物质和生物技术领域，提供先进的教育机会。

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program proposes combining photonic sensing, nanotechnology and biotechnology to demonstrate a new type of biosensor for laboratory use and rapid response to biological threats. The proposed device will be constructed from a new type of chemical-biological sensor which uses fiber optic grating sensor technology enhanced with unique new nanomaterial coatings. The combination of the new sensing method with the nanomaterial properties will result in a low-cost, rapid, highly sensitive and miniature device capable of battery operation and integration into a deployable unit. Detection has been demonstrated both for fluid-borne and air-borne targets, and the technique will detect bacteria, nerve agents, proteins and explosives. Expected detection limits for the final device range from 100 to 1000 times better than is currently possible using existing laboratory systems. Development of such a biosensor will require a concerted multidisciplinary effort in optical physics, biochemistry, and polymer and interfacial chemistry. If successful the proposed project will advance scientific knowledge in the following areas: (1) Advance the understanding of photonic sensing through the study of electromagnetic/optical field interactions in the photonic waveguide structures and in the overlying nanomaterial films, (2) Advance the development of nanomaterial applications through study of the covalent binding mechanisms between the affinity ligands and the ionic self-assembled multilayers (ISAM) film polymers, resulting in a general procedure for incorporating multiple classes of targets, (3) Advance the development of combinatorial evaluation techniques utilizing automated reasoners to reduce the requirement for high specificity sensing vectors, ultimately leading to intelligent sensing and reduced false alarm indications, and (4) Provide advanced educational opportunities through support of graduate and undergraduate students at Virginia Tech, specifically in the condensed matter and biotechnology areas.