CAREER: Understanding Dielectrophoretic Molecular Transport

很少有小规模的分离方法可用于支持医疗诊断或稀释剂传感等关键应用。介电凝胶分子传输(DMT)是一种在较小的尺度上工作的技术，它可以灵活地将大多数溶质从水中分离出来，但由于目前的数学模型无法准确预测其行为，因此DMT并未被使用。这个职业项目寻求开发和验证DMT均衡和运输行为的模型。这些模型和该项目将带来的对DMT的更好的理解将使其得以使用，并可能导致例如芯片上实验室的诊断，从而扩大获得重要医学测试的机会并改善福祉。这个项目将实现这一点，同时创建一个公平和包容的研究生教育渠道，将扩大和加强对科学研究的参与。这个职业项目的主要研究目标是开发和验证介电分子传输(DMT)的模型。为了实现这一目标，开发了一种具有透明电极和绝缘的微流控设备，该设备可以实时、空间分辨地测量电极之间和电极周围的溶液组成，同时控制初始浓度、场强和梯度以及流速。时间和空间分辨的浓度数据将被用来发展、改进和验证场相关活度系数的数学模型，这些模型将被用来预测复杂溶液中的平衡态和耦合输运。这些不仅将构成DMT的第一个准确模型，而且还将通过评估结构-场相互作用的重要性来扩大我们对这种传输现象的理解。与这个研究项目相结合的是一个本科生的、以研究为导向的高级设计的替代方案，它将引导学生从开始一个研究项目到创造和传播研究产品。这份职业建议书中的研究部分将作为本课程学生的核心、有保障的研究机会。将研究和指导融入到熟悉的课堂环境中，显著减少了文化和制度障碍，同时减少了与本科生研究相关的不确定性和时间成本。通过这样做，该计划将增加对本科生研究的参与，并理想地使学生在未来的教育和职业生涯中继续并茁壮成长。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Few small-scale separation methods are available to support critical applications like medical diagnostics or the sensing of dilute chemicals. Dielectrophoretic molecular transport (DMT), which works at small length scales, flexibly separates most solutes out of water but it is not used because current mathematical models are unable to accurately predict its behavior. This CAREER project seeks to develop and validate models of DMT equilibrium and transport behavior. These models and the improved understanding of DMT that will result from this project will enable its use and could result in, for example, lab-on-a-chip diagnostics which broaden access to important medical tests and improve well-being. This project will accomplish this while creating an equitable and inclusive pipeline to graduate education that will broaden and strengthen participation in scientific research.The primary research goal of this CAREER project is to develop and validate models for dielectrophoretic molecular transport (DMT). To accomplish this objective, a microfluidic device with transparent electrodes and insulation has been developed that permits real time, spatially resolved spectroscopy measurements of solution composition between and around electrodes while controlling initial concentrations, field strengths and gradients, and flow rates. Spatially and temporally resolved concentration data will be used to develop, improve, and validate mathematical models of field-dependent activity coefficients, which will be used to predict equilibrium states and coupled transport in complex solutions. Not only will these constitute the first accurate models of DMT but will also expand our understanding of this transport phenomenon by assessing the importance of structure-field interactions. Integrated with this research project is an undergraduate, research-oriented alternative to Senior Design, which will lead students from starting a research project through to creating and disseminating research products. The research component of this CAREER proposal will serve as a core, guaranteed research opportunity for students within the course. Incorporating research and mentoring into a familiar classroom setting significantly reduces cultural and institutional barriers while reducing uncertainty and time cost associated with undergraduate research. In doing so, this plan will increase participation in undergraduate research and ideally position students to continue and thrive in their future education and career.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.