IDR: A Novel Multiplexed Multichannel Biosensor Chip for High-Throughput Detection of Macromolecular Biomarkers

该奖项的研究目标是创造一种多路微流控生物传感器，可以同时检测多种大分子生物标志物，具有高通量和高灵敏度。采用的方法将是使用超稳定纳米凝胶和多路多通道电阻脉冲传感阵列的免疫聚集分析的集成。在免疫聚集实验中，与特异性多克隆抗体相对应的生物标志物将引起被抗体功能化的纳米凝胶聚集；纳米凝胶-生物标志物聚集体将被电阻脉冲传感阵列检测到，由于它们的大尺寸，极大地放大了传感信号。电阻脉冲传感阵列将允许平行检测纳米凝胶-生物标志物聚集体，因为他们通过传感通道。频分多路复用将应用于来自并行传感通道的信号，以实现仅使用一组检测电子器件的高吞吐量检测。如果成功，本研究将有助于改进生物传感技术，用于快速和现场分析液体环境中的各种生物靶标，如生物标志物、毒素、病毒和病原体，从而改善疾病诊断/预后，增强国土安全和改善水安全。本项目将为参与研究的研究生和本科生提供多学科的培训机会。该项目还旨在开发和部署生物传感器和微/纳米技术相关的教育材料，并有助于激励K-12学生和来自代表性不足群体的本科生追求科学和工程事业。通过阿克伦大学的“增加工程学术的多样性”、“工程领域的女性”和“高中桥梁”项目，本科生和高中生将被招募来进行这个项目的研究，重点是代表性不足的少数民族和女性。

The research objective of this award is to create a multiplexed microfluidic biosensor that allows simultaneous detection of multiple macromolecular biomarkers with high throughput and high sensitivity. The approach taken will be an integration of an immunoaggregation assay using ultra-stable nanogels and a multiplexed multichannel resistive pulse sensing array. In the immunoaggregation assay, biomarkers corresponding to specific polyclonal antibodies will cause aggregation of the nanogels functionalized by the antibodies; the nanogel-biomarker aggregates will be detected by a resistive pulse sensing array, dramatically amplifying the sensing signals because of their large size. The resistive pulse sensing array will allow parallel detection of nanogel-biomarker aggregates as they pass through the sensing channels. Frequency division multiplexing will be applied to the signals from the parallel sensing channels to enable high throughput detection using only a single set of detection electronics. If successful, the benefits of this research will contribute to improved biosensing technology for rapid and onsite analysis of a wide variety of biological targets such as biomarkers, toxins, virus and pathogens in liquid environment, and thus will enable improved disease diagnosis/prognosis, enhanced homeland security and improved water safety. This project will provide multidisciplinary training opportunity for the graduate and undergraduate students involved in the research. The project also aims to develop and deploy biosensor and micro/nano technology-related educational materials and contribute to motivating K-12 students and undergraduate students from underrepresented groups to pursue science and engineering careers. Through University of Akron's "Increasing Diversity in Engineering Academics," "Women in Engineering" and "High School Bridge" programs, undergraduate students and high school students will be recruited to conduct research in this project, with an emphasis on underrepresented minorities and women.