PFI-BIC: Partnership for Nanomembranes in Microscale Biodevices

罗彻斯特大学的创新伙伴关系项目将专注于将一种名为多孔纳米晶硅（pnc-Si）的突破性膜技术应用于微尺度制备和分析系统。在第一阶段，该团队将努力将pnc-Si膜纳入现有的便携式病原体检测设备中。在该装置中，膜将用作微过滤器，防止聚集体到达探测器，在那里它们可能导致假阳性信号。在第二阶段，该团队将使用pnc-Si平台将集成纳米技术（INT）过程中的每个步骤小型化，以便在单个芯片实验室设备上执行所有反应和检测步骤。这项研究的广泛影响是多方面的。该项目预计将缩短INT设备的上市时间，解决美国军方长期以来对从少量血液样本中远程检测病原体的需求。小型化的设备有望显著降低该设备的成本，并扩大其在非国防市场的渗透。更广泛地说，知识增强合作伙伴（KEP）将专注于将pnc-Si作为芯片实验室设备中泵送和分离的平台技术。预计这将对不同的行业产生影响，从生物技术到食品行业，在这些行业中，芯片上的实验室解决方案正在寻求降低复杂过程的成本。KEP的工业合作伙伴对产品的需求增加，预计将刺激罗切斯特地区的经济增长。该项目还将涉及罗切斯特大学新技术创业和管理项目的学生，他们将制定商业计划，进行市场研究，并进行风险评估。该项目将通过罗彻斯特大学的麦克奈尔项目雇佣未被充分代表的少数族裔。项目启动时的合作伙伴是学术机构：主要学术机构罗切斯特大学（西蒙商学院生物医学工程系、创业中心）和学术合作伙伴罗切斯特理工学院（电气工程系和生物医学工程系）；小型企业：SiMPore Inc. （West Henrietta， NY）和Integrated Nanotechnologies （Henrietta， NY）。SiMPore是pnc-Si的独家制造商，pnc-Si是一种由UR开发的超薄纳米孔膜。开发的设备将基于INT公司的专利流程，用于全自动便携式病原体检测。这两家小公司都位于大罗切斯特地区。RIT教师将为KEP提供小型化、电动流动和LOC设备方面的专业知识。

This Partnerships for Innovation project from the University of Rochester will focus on the application of a breakthrough membrane technology called porous nanocrystalline silicon (pnc-Si) to microscale preparative and analytical systems. In the first phase, the team will work to include the pnc-Si membranes in an existing device for portable pathogen detection. In this device the membranes will be used as a microfilter preventing aggregates from reaching detectors where they can cause false positive signals. In the second phase, the team will use the pnc-Si platform to miniaturize each step in the Integrated Nanotechnologies (INT) process to perform all reaction and detection steps on a single lab-on-a-chip device.The broader impacts of this research are many. The project is expected to decrease the time-to-market for the INT device, addressing a long-standing need of the U.S. military for remote pathogen detection from small blood samples. The miniaturized device is expected to significantly reduce costs of this device and expand its penetration into nondefense markets. More broadly, the knowledge enhancement partners (KEP) will focus on the use of pnc-Si as a platform technology for pumping and separation in lab-on-a-chip devices. This is expected to have an impact on diverse industries, from biotechnology to the food industry, where lab-on-a-chip solutions are sought to reduce the cost of complex processes. Increased demand for products from the KEP's industrial partners is expected to spur economic growth in the Rochester area. The project will also involve students in the University of Rochester's new Technical Entrepreneurship and Management program who will develop business plans, conduct market research, and perform risk assessment. The project will employ underrepresented minorities through the University of Rochester's McNair program.Partners at the inception of the project are Academic: the lead academic institution, the University of Rochester (Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Simon School of Business; Center for Entrepreneurship) and an academic partner, Rochester Institute of Technology (Departments of Electrical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering); and Small businesses: SiMPore Inc. (West Henrietta, NY), and Integrated Nanotechnologies (Henrietta, NY). SiMPore is the exclusive manufacturer of pnc-Si, an ultrathin nanoporous membrane developed at UR. The devices developed will be based on INT's proprietary process for fully automated, portable pathogen detection. Both small companies are based in the greater Rochester area. RIT faculty will provide the KEP with expertise in miniaturization, electrokinetic flows and LOC devices.