Microsensing System for Real-time Pathogen Detection

根据最近的一份报告，生物传感器在护理点、家庭诊断、研究实验室、生物防御、环境监测、食品工业等应用中的市场预计将达到226.8亿美元，从2014年到2020年的复合年增长率（CAGR）估计为10.0%。对快速检测、现场可及性和操作简单性等日益增长的需求正在推动新的生物传感技术的发展。微机电系统（MEMS）通过先进的制造技术将机械元件、传感器、致动器和电子元件复杂地集成在微纳米尺度上。MEMS传感器在检测微小质量方面表现出了卓越的能力。然而，在常压和室温下用液体样品进行实时检测时，它们的高固有灵敏度受到了挑战。阻尼、病原体收集和信号检测/处理是MEMS传感器实现实时病原体检测需要克服的三个障碍。在本研究中，将开发新型MEMS传感器，该传感器将集成压电驱动，表面声波（SAW）分类，电动病原体收集和捕获以及压电传感或光学位置传感元件。通过压电驱动元件，可以向传感器施加足够的激励能量来克服测试样品溶液的阻尼。SAW元件将用于分类和浓缩病原体，这些病原体将通过电动元件被传感器收集和捕获；压电传感或光学位置敏感装置（PSD）将传感器的动态响应转换为电信号，并允许小型化。所提出的MEMS传感器的新颖性源于多功能元件的新颖设计和集成。本研究为研究生和本科生提供独特的跨学科培训机会。在未来五年内，该计划将培养11名HQP，其中包括4名博士，2名硕士和5名本科生（暑期生）。毕业后，学员将成为在前沿微制造技术、微生物传感技术和微机电一体化工程方面受过良好训练和知识渊博的专家，并为工业界和学术界的职业生涯做好准备。本研究衍生的新技术可广泛应用于水质监测、环境生物安全提升、临床诊断、生物污染鉴定等领域，并将支持加拿大相关行业，如Trojan Technologies、Veolia water technology、Maple food Inc.等。雅培，NXTSENS等，以提高其国际竞争力。

According to a recent report the market for biosensors in applications such as point of care, home diagnostics, research labs, biodefense, environmental monitoring, food industry, is projected to be US$22.68 billion and at an estimated compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.0% from 2014 to 2020. Increasing demands for rapid detection, onsite accessibility, and operation simplicity etc., are driving the development of new biosensing technologies. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) involve complex micro- and nano-scale integration of mechanical elements, sensors, actuators, and electronics by advanced fabrication technology. MEMS sensors have demonstrated superior capability of detecting minuscule mass. However, their high intrinsic sensitivity is challenged in real-time detections which are often conducted at atmospheric pressure and room temperature with liquid samples. Damping, pathogen collection, and signal detection/processing are the three barriers that need to be overcome to achieve real-time pathogen detection with MEMS sensors. In this research, novel MEMS sensors will be developed which will integrate piezoelectric actuation, surface acoustic wave (SAW) sorting, electrokinetic pathogen collection and capture, and a piezoelectric sensing or optical position sensing element. Through piezoelectric actuation elements, enough excitation energy can be applied to the sensors to overcome damping from testing sample solutions. SAW elements will be used to sort and concentrate pathogens, which will be collected and captured by the sensor via electrokinetic elements; Piezoelectric sensing or optical position sensitive devices (PSD) convert the sensors' dynamic response to the electrical signal, and allow the miniaturization. The novelty of the proposed MEMS sensors stems from the novel design and integration of multi-functional elements. The proposed research is an excellent platform to provide unique interdisciplinary training opportunities to graduate and undergraduate students. Over the next five years, the proposed research program will train 11 HQP including 4 PhD, 2 Master and 5 undergraduate students (summer students) for professional careers in high-tech engineering. Upon graduation, the trainees will be well-trained and knowledgeable experts in leading-edge micromanufacturing technology, Micro-biosensing technology, and micromechatronics engineering, and be ready for professional careers in industry and academia. The novel technology derived from this study can be widely employed for water quality monitoring, environmental biosafety enhancement, clinical diagnostics, bio-contamination identification etc., and will support relevant Canadian industry, e.g. Trojan Technologies, Veolia Water technology, Maple food Inc. Abbott, NXTSENS etc., to enhance their international competitiveness.