EAGER Collaborative Research: Optimizing RNA binding and detection for use in the Capillary Waveguide Biosensor ESP module for automated, in situ microbial process studies

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In spite of the urgent need for better tools, automated, in situ methods for the determination of the presence, abundance and activity of marine microbes are still in the development stages. The Capillary Waveguide Biosensor (CWB) will potentially make possible long-term, in situ, unattended detection of microorganisms and monitoring of microbial processes. This is a renewal of the PI's EAGER proposal. They were able to complete two of the three tasks originally proposed. With this addition funding they will complete the third task, which was to optimize hybridization protocols and achieve a dynamic range satisfactory for use in real-world studies.Broader Impacts: The potential for training students at graduate, undergraduate and high school levels in this project is particularly interesting and exciting, because it will offer students the opportunities to cross-train in microbial ecology and engineering. Also, education and training of minorities and exposure of the general public to science are two other likely benefits of this project. Participation of C-MORE students is great. If molecular techniques are going to be used more frequently in the future, students are going to have to get used to the technology.