CAREER: Integrated-Optic Nanoparticle Biosensor Arrays

例如，世界范围内的生物传感研究受到环境和食品测试以及临床诊断等众多应用的推动。 然而，从非常小的样品中平行检测大量分子种类的重要问题仍然是一个难以捉摸的目标。CAREER的研究计划是将纳米光子学与波导生物传感器和微流控技术相结合，开发新型分子检测阵列。将金属纳米颗粒固定在光波导表面的离散区域上，使大量分子种类的并行检测成为可能。 在每个区域中，束缚到纳米颗粒的捕获分子通过亲和相互作用优先结合到特定的分子种类。 光在每个纳米颗粒周围的强定位允许光学信号转导的显著改善，从而便于检测结合在每个区域内的少量分子。微流体将用于将小样品体积输送到每个传感区域，并将研究被动混合结构，以增加每个区域内的分子结合概率。教育计划的重点是创建一个夏季光学为中学物理和科学教师举办的讲习班。 随着对教师的要求越来越高，以及技术的快速发展，教师需要一种方法来进一步提高他们的科学知识和实践教学方法。 详细的课程计划和实验室练习将在课堂上进行部署，目的是提高学生对光学和科学的理解和指导，并鼓励学生追求工程和科学事业。 将大力鼓励西班牙裔和美洲土著学校的教师参加。

Research world-wide on biosensing is motivated by numerous applications in environmental and food testing and clinical diagnostics, for example. However, the important problem of detecting in parallel a large number of molecular species from the very small samples typical of most collection procedures remains an elusive goal. This CAREER research plan focuses on solving this problem by merging the science of nanophotonics with waveguide biosensors and microfluidics for the development of a new class of molecular detection array.The immobilization of metallic nanoparticles onto discrete zones of an optical waveguide surface makes the parallel detection of a large number of molecular species feasible. In each zone, capture molecules tethered to the nanoparticles preferentially bind to a particular molecular species through an affinity interaction. Strong localization of light about each nanoparticle allows for dramatic improvement in optical signal transduction, thereby facilitating the detection of small numbers of molecules bound within each zone.Microfluidics will be used to deliver small sample volumes to each sensing zone and passive mixing structures will be studied in order to increase the molecular binding probability within each zone.The education plan focuses on the creation of a summer optics workshop for secondary school physics and science teachers. As more demands are placed on teachers, and as technology continues to advance at a rapid pace, teachers need a way in which to further their knowledge of science and hands-on teaching methods. Detailed lesson plans and laboratory exercises will be developed for deployment in the classroom, with the goal of improving student understanding of and instruction in optics and the sciences, and encouraging students to pursue careers in engineering and science. Participation of teachers from Hispanic and Native American schools will be strongly encouraged.