RII Track-4:NSF: In-vitro Cytotoxicity Assessment of Synthesized Quantum Dots for Enhanced Cell Imaging

量子点（QDs）是纳米大小的粒子，通常范围在2-10纳米之间，被广泛用作荧光细胞标记工具。一些含镉量子点具有良好的细胞成像质量和较高的结合效率，但其毒性对细胞的寿命和功能构成威胁。确定对细胞危害最小的最佳QD候选物对于检测和跟踪各种生物体至关重要。本研究将采用微尺度流体通道制备无镉量子点，该量子点对细胞的毒性较小，但仍能保持高成像质量。本研究将定量评估这些定制量子点对微藻细胞光合速率和活力的影响。这项工作的结果将加强目前对量子点与微藻细胞之间相互作用的理解，并为量子点作为其他生物系统的细胞标记工具提供见解。该奖学金项目将培训PI和路易斯安那理工大学的一名研究生，包括细胞生物学的基础知识和实验技术技能，如质谱分析过程。这项合作工作将提高路易斯安那理工大学的研究能力，并促进路易斯安那州北部的培训和教育。这项研究基础设施改进轨道4 EPSCoR研究人员（RII轨道4）项目将为路易斯安那理工大学的一名助理教授和一名研究生提供奖学金。这项工作将在加州大学河滨分校进行。量子点（QDs），如CdSe/ZnS，尽管它们是有效的细胞标记工具，但已经显示出对细胞的有害影响。了解了CdSe/ZnS对细胞的毒性，本项目的目标是开发低毒性的量子点，同时保持与细胞相同的成像质量和结合效果。PI将实现用于量子点合成和制造的微流体装置，并开发用于特定细胞体外细胞毒性评估的微流体通道。在合作者的支持下，PI将利用纳米材料表征和微流体控制装置的全部能力合成和表征量子点。此外，这项合作工作还允许PI和研究生进入细胞培养设施，并在宿主地点进行单细胞分析，以进行微藻细胞光合速率测试。本项目将实现以下目标：1)利用基于液滴的微流控装置合成低毒量子点并表征量子点的成像质量；2)利用微流控装置评价量子点对外流微藻细胞的细胞毒性。这项研究的结果有可能进一步推进对海洋系统或环境保护至关重要的其他生物的研究。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Quantum dots (QDs) are nano-sized particles, typically ranging from 2-10 nm, that are widely used as fluorescent cell-labeling tools. Some Cadmium-containing QDs have demonstrated effective cell imaging quality and high binding efficiency, but their toxicity poses risks to the life and function of the cells. Identifying an optimal QD candidate with minimum hazards to the cells is crucial for the detection and tracking of a variety of living organisms. This proposed research will implement micro-scale fluid channels to fabricate Cadmium-free QDs that are less toxic to cells but maintain high imaging quality. The study will quantitatively assess the impact of these customized QDs on the photosynthesis rate and viability of microalgae cells. Results from this work will strengthen the current understanding of the interaction between QDs and microalgae cells and provide insight into the QDs as a cell-labeling tool for other biological systems. This fellowship program will train the PI and a graduate student from Louisiana Tech University in both the fundamental knowledge of cell biology and experimental technical skills such as the mass spectrometry process. This collaborative work will enhance the research capacity of Louisiana Tech University and facilitate training and education in Northern Louisiana. This Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-4 EPSCoR Research Fellows (RII Track-4) project will provide a fellowship to an Assistant Professor and a graduate student at Louisiana Tech University. This work will be conducted at the University of California, Riverside. Quantum dots (QDs), such as CdSe/ZnS, have been shown a detrimental impact on the cells despite their effectiveness as cell-labeling tools. Knowing the toxicity of CdSe/ZnS on cells, the objective of this project is to develop QDs with low toxicity while maintaining the same quality of imaging and binding effect with cells. The PI will implement microfluidics devices for QDs synthesis and fabrication, and develop microfluidic channels for in vitro cytotoxicity assessment with specific cells. With the support from the collaborator, the PI will synthesize and characterize the QDs using the full capability of nanomaterial characterization and microfluidic control setup. In addition, this collaborative work also allows the PI and graduate student to have access to the cell culture facility and perform single-cell analysis at the host site for microalgae cell photosynthesis rate tests. This project will achieve the following aims: 1) synthesize low-toxic QDs using droplet-based microfluidic devices and characterize the imaging quality of QDs, and 2) evaluate the cytotoxicity of QDs to the microalgae cells with external flow using a microfluidic device. The results from this research hold the potential to advance further research towards other living organisms that are crucial to the marine system or environmental protection.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.