Low-cost field-deployable DNA Microarrays using organic transistors

智力优点：本研究的目的是开发一种低成本，一次性电可读DNA传感器，用于现场部署的流行病学和疾病筛查。 该方法是一种新的DNA杂交传感器结构的发展，使用的有机薄膜晶体管作为主动传感元件。 初步结果表明，DNA分子可以直接固定的底部栅控有机晶体管的暴露的通道上的物理吸附，并可用于实现与集成微流体的DNA微阵列。 已经发现固定化的DNA分子掺杂有机半导体，引起阈值电压漂移。 重要的是，单链和双链DNA在所得VT位移中显示出实质性差异，使得能够直接电检测杂交。 通过将这些传感器与集成聚合物微流体相结合，研究人员将开发一种低成本，现场部署的DNA微阵列technology.Broader的影响：这一建议是技术上的重要，因为它将有助于开发一种一次性的，电读取，现场部署的疾病筛查工具，适用于DNA测序在低成本，直接在现场进行。 这对于追踪世界贫困地区疾病的流行病学研究将是非常宝贵的。 这一提议的更广泛影响包括指导本科生进行研究，与高中生进行外联，以促进他们留在科学和工程领域，并通过在历史上的黑人学院和大学开展招聘活动，与代表性不足的少数群体进行外联，目的是吸引代表性不足的少数群体学生参加工程研究。

Intellectual Merits:The objective of this research is the development of a low-cost, disposable electrically-readable DNA sensor for use in field-deployed epidemiology and disease screening. The approach is the development of a novel DNA hybridization sensor architecture using the organic thin film transistors as the active sensing element. Initial results indicate that DNA molecules may be directly immobilized by physical adsorption on the exposed channels of bottom-gated organic transistors and may be used to implement a DNA microarray in conjunction with integrated microfluidics. The immobilized DNA molecules have been found to dope organic semiconductors, causing a threshold voltage shift. Importantly, single- and double-strand DNA show substantial difference in the resultant VT shift, enabling the direct electrical detection of hybridization. By combining these sensors with integrated polymer microfluidics, the investigators will develop a low-cost, field-deployable DNA microarray technology.Broader Impacts:This proposal is technically important since it will contribute to the development of a disposable, electrically-read, field-deployable disease-screening tool suitable for DNA sequencing at low-cost, directly performed in the field. This will be invaluable in epidemiological studies for tracing disease in poverty-afflicted parts of the world. Broader impacts of this proposal include mentorship of undergraduates in research, outreach to high-school students to facilitate their retention in science and engineering, and outreach to underrepresented minority groups through recruiting activities at historically black colleges and universities, with the goal of attracting underrepresented minority students into engineering research.