Mid-IR Biogenic Trace Gas Sensor

描述（申请人提供）：微量反应性气体在调节复杂的生物功能如血管舒张、神经传递和炎症中的作用在生物医学研究界受到了相当大的关注，包括因研究NO的生理意义而获得诺贝尔医学奖。用于ppb级生物源气体的多功能仪器。在一个成功的第一阶段计划，物理科学公司。 (PSI)莱斯大学和贝勒医学院的研究表明，可以使用室温量子级联激光吸收传感在与培养细胞相关的大气中测量内源性CO和NO的产生。目前没有可用的仪器能够对这些气体进行多种类、时间分辨的测量。在拟议的第二阶段计划中，该团队将开发原型实验室仪器，用于生物医学实验室中相关内源性气体的常规，自动和同时检测。这些仪器将是完全集成的自动传感器，包括热稳定的培养细胞容器，紧凑的光学吸收配置，以及软件控制的数据采集和还原。参与机构的生物医学实验室的技术人员将进行广泛的测试和评估，以完善后续营销和销售的仪器概念。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The role of trace reactive gases in regulating complex biological functions such as vasorelaxation, neurotransmission, and inflammation has received considerable attention in the biomedical research community, including the Nobel Prize in Medicine for research on the physiological significance of NO. Laboratory research into the role of this and other trace gases is presently constrained by the lack of reliable, versatile instrumentation for ppb-levels of biogenic gases. In a successful Phase I program, Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), Rice University, and the Baylor College of Medicine showed that endogenous CO and NO production could be measured in atmospheres associated with cultured cells using room-temperature, quantum cascade laser-based absorption sensing. No presently available instrumentation is capable of multi-species, time-resolved measurements of these gases. In the proposed Phase II program, the team will develop prototype laboratory instruments for routine, automated and simultaneous detection of interrelated endogenous gases in biomedical laboratories. These instruments will be fully integrated and automatic sensors, including thermally-stabilized cultured cell vessels, compact optical absorption configurations, and software controlled data acquisition and reduction. Extensive test and evaluation by technicians in biomedical laboratories of participating institutions will be used to refine the instrument concept for subsequent marketing and sales.