NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute (EAPSI) for FY 2013 in Singapore

这一行动资助康奈尔大学的Kenneth Gene Yancey于2013年夏天在新加坡国立大学进行了一个工程学研究项目。该项目的标题是“在便携式家庭诊断设备中使用基于DNA的纳米条形码同时检测癌症和结核病。”每年，世界卫生组织都会报告说，美国四分之一的人会死于癌症，世界上三分之一的人口患有肺结核。及早发现可降低癌症和结核病等高传播性疾病的发病率和致命性。为了解决这个问题，我们正在开发树状DNA纳米代码，它使用独特的荧光标记比率来同时检测多种疾病。这些条形码已经展示了利用DNA杂交的特异性和荧光的敏感性进行多路阿托莫尔检测。在EAPSI项目的过程中，这一系统正在得到改进，将其应用于真实的DNA样本，并将其集成到微流控设备中，用于检测世界任何地方的疾病。EAPSI奖学金的广泛影响包括为研究员提供美国以外的第一手研究经验；介绍各自地点的科学、科学政策和科学基础设施；以及对社会、文化和语言的定位。这些活动符合NSF的目标，即在其科学家、工程师和教育工作者的职业生涯早期为国际合作进行教育，从而确保拥有一支具有全球意识的美国科学队伍。此外，EAPSI项目不仅有可能开发更好的基于DNA的新疾病检测方法，而且还促进了对所有年龄和学科的学生的推广。几名本科生参与了这个项目，结果将通过一系列旨在吸引社区的YouTube视频和应用程序进行传播。主办地点是实现EAPSI培养美国研究生国际知名度的目标的理想地点，因为NUS的高度合作环境包括大量的学术、工业和临床合作。

This action funds Kenneth Gene Yancey of Cornell University to conduct a research project in Engineering during the summer of 2013 at The National University of Singapore in Singapore. The project title is "Simultaneous Detection of Cancer and TB using DNA-based Nanobarcodes in a Portable Device for In-home Diagnostics." The host scientist is Dr. Jackie Ying.Every year, the World Health Organization reports that 1 in 4 people in the United States will die of cancer and that one third of the world population has tuberculosis (TB). Early detection reduces the incidence and fatal potential of cancer and highly transmittable diseases like TB. To address this, we are developing tree-like DNA nanobarcodes which use a unique ratio of fluorescent tags to detect multiple disease simultaneously. Already these barcodes are demonstrating multiplexed attomole detection using the specificity of DNA hybridization and the sensitivity of fluorescence. In the course of this EAPSI project, this system is being improved by applying it to real DNA samples and integrating it in a microfluidic device for the detection of disease anywhere in the world.Broader impacts of an EAPSI fellowship include providing the Fellow a first-hand research experience outside the U.S.; an introduction to the science, science policy, and scientific infrastructure of the respective location; and an orientation to the society, culture and language. These activities meet the NSF goal to educate for international collaborations early in the career of its scientists, engineers, and educators, thus ensuring a globally aware U.S. scientific workforce. Furthermore, this EAPSI project is not only potentially developing better methods for the DNA-based detection of new diseases, but also promoting outreach to students of all ages and disciplines. Several undergraduate students are involved with this project and results will be disseminate using a series of Youtube videos and apps designed to engage the community. The host location is ideal for accomplishing EAPSI's goal of fostering international exposure of U.S. graduate students due to the NUS' highly collaborative environment consisting of numerous academic, industrial and clinical collaborations.