Implantable biosensors for real-time in vivo interrogation of biological phenomena

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Sayler1159344This research effort is focused on the merging of light-emitting (bioluminescent) human cell lines with integrated circuit microluminometers to create miniaturized, implantable biosensing interfaces for internal monitoring of animal physiology. Conventional imaging technology relies on external cameras to penetrate and identify light-emitting cellular signatures embedded within small animal subjects. Unfortunately, due to absorption, attenuation, and scattering, even the most sensitive ultracooled cameras are unable to detect light signals beyond depths of a few centimeters in living tissue. Without major advances in imaging hardware sensitivity and/or light signal emission strength of engineered implanted cells, bioimaging applications that promise real-time, noninvasive visualization of health status in small animals may never achieve the transformational leap towards imaging, tracking, and diagnosing diseases in larger animals (i.e., humans). It is hypothesized that it may be more feasible and practical to image internally rather than externally, and that the bioengineering of an implantable optical chip capable of detecting light from engineered human cells tuned to human disease states may be a solution for effective whole-body human imaging. The intellectual merit of this research is a transformative new imaging technology that brings us closer to biosensing strategies evolved towards autonomous sense-and-respond human biotherapies where disease states are automatically recognized and treated, the outcome of which permits real-time and remote patient to doctor relationships and transformations in personalized medicine and disease care management at greatly reduced costs. Broader impacts include postdoctoral training and integration of undergraduate students within the research project, multidisciplinary collaborations between the life sciences and engineering disciplines, broad dissemination of research results, and outreach efforts centered on K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) initiatives.