Design and micro/nanofabrication of microfluidic lab-on-a-chip biosensors

广泛目标：拟议的研究将应用纳米生物技术来应对工程挑战，并在用于疾病诊断和农业植物保护的芯片实验室(LOC)设备中提供有效的解决方案。相关背景：DNA/RNA检测的金标准是定量逆转录聚合酶链式反应(qRT-PCR)。然而，这些设备价格昂贵，而且不便于携带。此外，需要经过专业培训的技术人员来操作定量RT-PCR仪器。我们提出了一种基于阻抗的LOC器件作为替代解决方案。LoC检测只需要极少量的试剂，而且设备完全自动化和便携。目前的应用包括新冠肺炎病毒检测。流式细胞仪是一种商业上可用的细胞计数设备。然而，该设备体积较大，不适合现场监控。我们提出了一种用于准确测量空气传播病原体的介电(DEP)LOC设备。其可能的应用包括实时监测空气传播的新冠肺炎病毒和对农产品有害的空气传播的孢子。研究目的：目的1：利用等温放大技术对核酸进行放大，然后应用阻抗传感技术读出检测结果。目标2：将介电泳法与阻抗传感技术相结合，实现单细胞传感。其核心专长：陈杰博士在艾伯塔大学的研究小组包括擅长分子生物学、人工智能、微制造和表面化学的工程师和生物医学研究人员。在过去的8年里，我们开发了一种基于阻抗的LOC装置，它的功能与酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)相同。我们已经用我们的LOC设备成功地检测了SARS-CoV-2抗体。我们的设备和运行测试所需的所有必要组件的成本不到10美元，结果在一小时内就能报告。您可以预期结果：我们在加拿大制造的新型LOC设备可以检测毫微摩尔浓度的核酸，并在单细胞水平上检测病原体。我们预计每年在一流期刊上发表两到三篇文章。我们还预计在未来五年内培养博士后研究员和博士生。我们预计将申请两到三项专利，并将技术授权给加拿大公司，以确保我们的技术成功商业化，并向最终用户提供翻译。

Broad Goals: The proposed research will apply nanobiotechnologies to address engineering challenges and provide effective solutions in lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices for disease diagnosis and agricultural plant protection. Relevant Background: The gold standard for DNA/RNA tests is quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). However, the equipment is costly and is not portable. Further, professionally trained technical personnel are required to operate qRT-PCR instruments. We propose an impedance-based LOC device as an alternative solution. LOC tests only need a tiny amount of reagents, and the devices are fully automated and portable.  Immediate applications include COVID-19 viral testing. Flow cytometry is a commercially available device for cell counting. However, the device is large and not suitable for onsite monitoring. We propose a dielectrophoresis (DEP) LOC device for accurately measuring airborne pathogens. The possible applications include real-time monitoring of airborne COVID-19 virus and airborne spores harmful to agricultural food products. Research Aims: Aim #1: Develop isothermal amplification to amplify nucleic acids and then apply impedance sensing to read out test results. Aim #2: Integrate dielectrophoresis with impedance-sensing to achieve single-cell sensing.      Core Expertise: Dr. Jie Chen's research group at the University of Alberta includes engineers and biomedical researchers with specialties in molecular biology, artificial intelligence, microfabrication, and surface chemistry. Over the past 8 years, we have developed an impedance-based LOC devices that can function the same as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We have successful tested SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with our LOC device. The cost of our device and all the necessary components required to run a test is less than $10 with results being reported in one hour.   Expect Outcomes: Our  made-in-Canada LOC device can detect nucleic acids at femtomolar concentrations and detect pathogens at the single-cell level. We expect to publish two to three articles every year in top-ranking journals. We also expect to train postdoctoral fellows and Ph.D. students in the next five years. We expect to file two to three patents and license the technologies to Canadian companies to ensure successful commercialization of our technology and translation to end users.