Centimeter-Scale Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer for Analysis of Biochemical Composition of Living Organisms

用于分析生物体生化成分的厘米级核磁共振 (NMR) 波谱仪

• 批准号: RTI-2023-00291
• 负责人: Genov, Roman
• 金额: $ 10.93万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=751589
• 关键词: Centimeter; Scale; Nuclear; Magnetic; Resonance

A miniature nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer is an essential research tool for analyzing biochemical composition of living organisms, where the sample size is typically very small. Such instruments can address a vast number of unmet needs in environmental studies, environmental protection measures, and safeguarding against drinking-water contamination, especially for the Indigenous communities across Canada. Although portable NMR spectrometer has been developed by several academic teams internationally, Canada is falling behind in developing and deploying homegrown technology in this essential area. Our team aims to develop and manufacture a low-cost centimeter-scale NMR spectrometer, validate it in sample-volume-limited in-vivo interrogation of living organisms, and deploy it in several environmental studies by correlating the chemical changes detected in these organisms with the presence and origins of toxicity in Canadian water resources. Our interdisciplinary team is uniquely qualified to develop such a centimeter-scale NMR spectrometer, as it brings together deep expertise in electronic integrated circuits (R. Genov and X. Liu), and NMR spectrometry and environmental science (A. J. Simpson). We have extensive proven experience in designing, prototyping, and testing customized electronic chips and electromagnetic coils. In this project, we aim to develop a centimeter-scale NMR spectrometer with a high detection sensitivity (70V) chip fabrication process (i.e., Double Diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor) that permits high sample excitation and thus yields a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); (2) leverage our past design of 3D off-chip NMR micro-coils to further boost the SNR; (3) improve the detection accuracy by on-chip advanced signal processing and off-chip machine learning. This project provides multi-disciplinary training opportunities to a large group of diverse HQP in our collaborating research labs. HQP will actively participate in the design, development, and experimental characterization of the electronic NMR spectrometer, and its field deployment. The trained HQP will be in high demand upon graduation and will become future leaders of the industry, academia, and environmental policy making institutions. In this proposal, our team has put forward a time-sensitive, feasible and innovative solution that will keep Canadian researchers in environmental science competitive, and will ensure that all Canadians will enjoy long-lasting and safe access to its most important and its most cherished natural resource - its water.

微型核磁共振（NMR）光谱仪是分析生物体生物化学组成的重要研究工具，在该生物体中，样本量通常非常小。这些工具可以在环境研究，环境保护措施和保护饮用水污染中解决大量未满足的需求，尤其是对于加拿大的土著社区。尽管国际上的几个学术团队已经开发了便携式NMR光谱仪，但加拿大在这一基本领域的开发和部署本土技术方面却落后。我们的团队旨在开发和制造低成本厘米尺度的NMR光谱仪，在样品体积限制的体内审问中对生物的质疑进行验证，并通过将这些生物体中在这些生物体中发现的化学变化与加拿大水资源中毒性的存在和起源相关联的化学变化，并将其部署在几项环境研究中。 我们的跨学科团队具有独特的资格来开发这种厘米级的NMR光谱仪，因为它汇集了电子综合电路（R. Genov和X. Liu），NMR光谱和环境科学（A. J. Simpson）的深厚专业知识。我们在设计，原型制作和测试定制的电子芯片和电磁线圈方面拥有丰富的经验丰富的经验。在这个项目中，我们旨在开发具有高检测灵敏度（70V）芯片制造过程（即双重扩散金属氧化物半导体）的厘米尺度NMR光谱仪，从而允许较高的样品激发，从而产生高信噪比（SNR）； （2）利用我们过去的3D芯片NMR微型芯片的设计，以进一步增强SNR； （3）通过芯片高级信号处理和芯片外机学习提高检测准确性。该项目在我们的合作研究实验室中为大量不同的HQP提供了多学科的培训机会。 HQP将积极参与电子NMR光谱仪的设计，开发和实验表征及其现场部署。训练有素的HQP将对毕业充满需求，并将成为行业，学术界和环境政策制定机构的未来领导者。在这项建议中，我们的团队提出了一个时间敏感，可行和创新的解决方案，该解决方案将使加拿大研究人员保持在环境科学的竞争力，并确保所有加拿大人都将享受持久，安全的安全访问最重要和最珍贵的自然资源 - 其水 - 其水。