Responsive polymers for biochemical sensor applications

食品和临床诊断中的生物分析物分析的瓶颈包括缺乏可由非熟练最终用户在分析现场使用的快速、灵敏和便携式检测装置。感兴趣的生物分析物存在于其他化合物的迷宫中，并且存在于干扰的基质中，阻碍了良好的检测。仪器检测前所需的多步样品制备过程大大增加了化学分析的成本和时间，并需要复杂的实验室本地化仪器。 我的研究计划的长期目标是通过开发强大的，小型化的，高选择性的生物传感器，可用于食品和临床诊断的体内分析，快速跟踪化学分析。我的短期目标集中在设计聚（N-异丙基丙烯酰胺）pH和氧化还原响应聚合物，并了解其作为酶支持的能力。我们最初的重点是脂肪酶、葡萄糖氧化酶、β-半乳糖苷酶、胆固醇氧化酶、辣根过氧化物酶和甘油脱氢酶。 开发的负载酶的聚合物将用于制造平面和光纤传感器，用于检测生物相关分析物，特别是甘油三酯、过氧化氢、乳糖和胆固醇，否则这些分析物需要繁琐的样品制备和昂贵的分析仪器。基于酶的响应聚合物生物传感器的建议，在这里开发，预计将解决这些挑战。此外，该技术非常适合非专家的即时检测。该研究计划将进一步了解响应性聚合物，特别是氧化还原可降解聚合物，这一直是有限的研究主题。这可以打开它们用于生物活性分子封装和受控递送的用途。 这项研究计划的结果的潜在应用跨越学科，包括临床诊断以及环境和食品工业，所有这些都是对阿尔伯塔和加拿大具有重要意义的领域。此外，这项多学科研究每年将吸引和培训至少6名本科生（5年内30名学生）。

Bottlenecks in bioanalyte analyses in food and clinical diagnostics includes lack of rapid, sensitive, and portable detection devices that can be used at the site of analysis by a non-skilled end user. Bioanalytes of interest exist in a labyrinth of other compounds and in matrices that interfere, impeding good detection. The multi-step sample preparation processes necessary before instrumental detection add significantly in terms of cost and time in chemical analysis and require sophisticated lab-localized instrumentation. The long-term objective of my research program is to fast-track chemical analysis by developing robust, miniaturized, and highly selective biosensors, deployable for in vivo analysis in food and clinical diagnostics. My short-term objectives focus on designing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) pH and redox responsive polymers, and understanding their capacity as enzyme supports. Our initial focus will be on lipases, glucose oxidase, ß-galactosidase, cholesterol oxidase, horseradish peroxidases, and glycerol dehydrogenases. The enzyme loaded polymers developed will be used to fabricate planar and fiber optic sensors for detection of biologically relevant analytes, specifically triglycerides, hydrogen peroxide, lactose, and cholesterol that otherwise require tedious sample preparation and expensive analytical instrumentation. The enzyme based responsive polymer biosensors proposed to be developed here are expected to address these challenges. Furthermore, the technology lends itself well to point-of-care detection by non-experts. The research program will further the fundamental understanding of responsive polymers, especially redox triggerable polymers that have been the subject of limited study. This could open up their use for bioactive molecule encapsulation and controlled delivery. The potential applications of the results of this research program cut across disciplines, including clinical diagnostics as well as environmental and food industries, all of which are areas of great significance to Alberta and Canada. Moreover, this multidisciplinary research will engage and train at least 6 undergraduate students every year (30 students over 5 years).