Collaborative Research: A molecular biological sensor for AUVs

合作研究：AUV分子生物传感器

• 批准号: 0962032
• 负责人: Christopher Scholin
• 金额: $ 125.41万
• 依托单位: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-09-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0962032&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; molecular; biological; sensor

Application of molecular analytical techniques for identifying marine microbes, viruses, specific genes, and gene products is central to oceanographic research, monitoring and resource management practices, but generally such methods require transporting samples to a laboratory for processing. This requirement typically results in delays ranging from many hours to days between collection of material and its analysis. Hence, development of instrumentation that overcomes this impediment is seen as a priority. Previously, the PI's approached this problem through development of the Environmental Sample Processor (ESP). The ESP is a field-deployable system that allows for application of molecular probe methodologies remotely in situ, including DNA and protein probe arrays, as well as real-time PCR. Applications of the ESP are currently restricted to moorings or benthic installations that can be embedded within a larger observatory framework. Since the number of moorings that can be deployed at any given time is limited and because they are fixed geographically, the ability to interrogate the "patchiness" of target communities and to assess their dynamics in response to changing environmental conditions from a remote perspective is limited. The PI's propose to overcome this limitation and compliment existing ocean observing technologies by modifying the ESP to fit on mobile platforms. The primary goal of this project is to fit the instrument on a 12" diameter propeller-driven AUV, though the same device could also be integrated on other platforms as well (e.g., profiling mooring or float, drifter). This can be accomplished by repackaging and eliminating some elements of the current ESP, and by combining that device with a field deployable, multi-channel surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor. Like the current ESP, the new instrument will be suitable for use with nucleic acid and protein-based assay chemistries, and support sample archiving so that material can be brought back to a laboratory for later analyses. However, its configuration will be aimed at fewer target species/metabolites for a given deployment, consistent with focused AUV reconnaissance operations. Such real-time detection capability will create unique opportunities for oceanographers and resource managers, particularly when placed within an integrated ocean observatory network. Broader ImpactsThe educational and outreach benefits from numerous undergraduates, graduate students, post docs, technical staff, and senior faculty working with the ESPs through various projects; various summer internship programs provided by WHOI and Biosecurity, Inc. for undergraduates including minority students; Monterey Bay Aquarium has included the ESP in a program that runs twice a day reaching almost 300,000 people a year. Although one reviewer described the broader impacts as somewhat predictable, the PI's have a broad base of resources available to them and their ability to utilize these has been demonstrated in the past.

应用分子分析技术识别海洋微生物、病毒、特定基因和基因产品是海洋学研究、监测和资源管理做法的核心，但通常这种方法需要将样本运送到实验室进行处理。这一要求通常会导致材料收集和分析之间的延误，从几个小时到几天不等。因此，开发克服这一障碍的仪器设备被视为优先事项。以前，PI通过开发环境样品处理器(ESP)来解决这个问题。ESP是一种可现场部署的系统，允许远程原位应用分子探针方法，包括DNA和蛋白质探针阵列，以及实时PCR。目前，电除尘器的应用仅限于可嵌入较大观测台框架内的系泊设备或海底设备。由于可在任何给定时间部署的系泊设施数量有限，而且这些系泊设施在地理上是固定的，因此从偏远的角度询问目标社区的“零散程度”并评估其动态以应对不断变化的环境条件的能力有限。PI的建议是为了克服这一限制，并通过修改ESP以适应移动平台来补充现有的海洋观测技术。该项目的主要目标是将该仪器安装在直径12英寸的螺旋桨驱动的AUV上，尽管相同的设备也可以集成到其他平台上(例如，仿形系泊或漂浮)。这可以通过重新包装和消除当前电除尘器的一些元素，并将该设备与现场可展开的多通道表面等离子体共振(SPR)传感器相结合来实现。与目前的电除尘器一样，新仪器将适用于核酸和基于蛋白质的分析化学，并支持样品存档，以便将材料带回实验室进行以后的分析。然而，它的配置将针对给定部署的较少目标物种/代谢物，与重点关注的AUV侦察行动一致。这种实时探测能力将为海洋学家和资源管理人员创造独特的机会，特别是在一个综合海洋观测站网络中。更广泛的影响教育和外展受益于通过各种项目与ESP合作的众多本科生、研究生、博士后、技术人员和高级教职员工；WHOI和BiosecSecurity，Inc.为包括少数族裔学生在内的本科生提供的各种暑期实习计划；蒙特利湾水族馆已将ESP纳入一项每天两次的计划，每年有近30万人参加。尽管一位评审员将更广泛的影响描述为某种程度上可以预测的影响，但PI拥有广泛的可用资源基础，他们利用这些资源的能力在过去已经得到证明。