Development of next generation of breath collection systems

非侵入性，手持诊断启发了这个发现资助申请。我的愿景是将呼吸测试科学发展到常规应用的程度。为此，我们在多个层面开展研究，从系统地创建稳健的采样和数据处理方法，到诊断设备的创新，再到人类和动物临床试验中标记物和设备的评估。我们的主要应用领域是呼吸道感染检测领域，在该领域，我们开发了人类和动物的采样器，创建了前几代数据处理方法，围绕分析仪器进行创新，发现了许多常见病原体的生物标志物，对生物标志物的起源产生了见解，并正在进行临床验证研究。本提案的重点是下一代呼吸科学系统的发展。首先，我们将(1)验证下一代呼吸科学系统，特别是为人类以及关键的实验动物（小鼠和非人类灵长类动物）开发现场优先的核心呼吸指数。该列表可用于评估呼吸科学创新（例如，评估新技术），协调研究小组之间的数据，患病动物的基线方差测量等。我们还将测试和验证低流量，易于集成的呼吸采样器，用于人类和动物的实验室或临床应用。这些设备将产生可靠的呼吸样本，用于生物标志物的发现和验证。将有新颖的样品盒，允许直接集成到分析仪器。其次，我们将(2)开发用于呼吸分析的微分析系统。我们将测试和验证用于微分析设备的预微浓缩器。在这里，我们将重点关注吸附基质的优化，重点关注微量分子的保留和释放，以及开发一种从设备中净化水的方法。我们还将重点关注将预微浓缩器有效地集成到两个微分析系统中。由此产生的微分析系统将准备好在人类、动物或其他研究场景中进行现场测试。2名博士、2名硕士和4-6名本科生将接受数据科学、分析化学、仪器工程和呼吸科学方面的培训。

Non-invasive, hand-held diagnostics inspire this Discovery Grant application. My vision is to develop breath test science to the point of routine application. To that end, we conduct research at multiple levels, from the systematic creation of robust sampling and data processing methodologies to diagnostic device innovation to the evaluation of markers and devices in human and animal clinical trials. Our primary application areas are in the respiratory infection detection area, where we have developed samplers for humans and animals, created the first few generations of data processing approaches, innovated around analytical instrumentation, discovered biomarkers for many common pathogens, generated insights into the origins of the biomarkers, and are conducting clinical validation studies. The focus of this proposal is the development of next generation systems for breath science. First, we will (1) validate next-generation systems for breath science, specifically developing a field-first core breath index for human as well as critical lab animals (mice and non-human primates). This list can be used to evaluate breath science innovations (e.g., evaluation of new technology), harmonizing data between research groups, baseline variance measurements in diseased animals, and so on. We will also test and validate low-flow, easy-to-integrate breath samplers for use in laboratory or clinical applications for humans and animals. These devices will produce reliable breath samples for biomarker discovery and validation. The will have novel sample cartridges that allow for direct integration into analytical instrumentation. Second, we will (2) develop micro-analytical systems for breath analysis. We will test and validate pre-microconcentrators for micro-analytical devices. Here, we will focus on the optimization of adsorption matrices, with a focus on trace molecule retention and release as well as develop a methodology for purging water from the device. We will also focus on effective integration of the pre-microconcentrator into two micro-analytical systems. The resulting micro-analytical systems will then be ready for field testing in human, animal, or other research scenarios. 2 PhD, 2 MS, and 4-6 undergraduates will be trained in data science, analytical chemistry, instrumentation engineering, and breath science on this award.