SGER: Detection of Bioterrorism-Linked Microbial Pathogens Using Surface Acoustic Wave Liquid Sensors

民用环境中的生物恐怖主义威胁和袭击需要能够快速准确地检测微量病理性生物制剂的传感器。迫切需要选择性和廉价的传感器来检测液体环境中的病原体，包括食物和水供应。传统的实验室分析是耗时、劳动密集型的，与生物恐怖行为发生后或可能发生的权宜之计不一致。这项探索性研究小额拨款(SGER)中提出的活动是多学科的，涉及缅因州大学的两名教职员工。电气和计算机工程部的Mauricio Pereira da Cunha博士将提供传感器平台开发方面的一般专业知识，特别是声波传感器。佩雷拉·达库尼亚是2002年NSF职业生涯奖获得者，她在声学微波领域工作了16年以上。保罗·米勒德博士来自化学和生物工程系，是一名微生物学家，在微生物检测和分析方面拥有15年以上的经验。Pereira da Cunha和Millard都隶属于缅因州大学表面科学与技术实验室，这是一个多学科实验室，拥有实现拟议任务的适当设施。本提案中描述的研究活动与NSF SGER计划的目的是一致的。该研究计划汇集了两个独立但相关领域的专业知识和研究成果，并将这两个领域推进到与生物恐怖主义威胁高度相关的新的探索性应用，特别是在液体和薄雾环境中。Pereira da Cunha最近利用新的朗加斯特晶体系列(LGX)制造了成功的剪切水平表面声波(SH)声表面波(SH)模式器件。他在液体环境中测试了这种设备，并获得了概念验证设备性能的初步结果。米勒德开发了用于核酸识别和放大的固定化分子挂锁技术，允许快速检测水产养殖中的致病病毒和细菌。这项探索性研究将特定核酸扩增的分子挂锁探针与SH-SAW传感器平台相结合，生产出一种廉价的混合生物传感器，可以快速、准确和可靠地检测液体中的微生物病原体。成功检测到这些病原体将证明有理由开发分子探针，用于检测可能引发生物恐怖主义的选定的水媒人类病原体，即致病性大肠杆菌、伤寒沙门氏菌和霍乱弧菌。这项研究将在两名理科学生的协助下进行一年多。研究成果将通过面向地区高中、本科课程的NSF GK-12项目以及涉及美国各地大学生的NSF REU项目与教育相结合。研究成果将通过同行评议的期刊、会议记录和国际研讨会进行传播。

0233463Pereira da CunhaBioterrorism threats and attacks in civilian environments require sensors that can rapidly and accurately detect minute quantities of pathological bioagents. Selective and inexpensive sensors are urgently needed to detect pathogens in liquid environments, including food and water supplies. Conventional laboratory analyses are time-consuming, labor-intensive and inconsistent with the expedient response required in the wake or possibility of a bioterrorist act.The activities proposed in this Small Grant for Exploratory Research (SGER) are multidisciplinary and involve two faculty members from the University of Maine. Dr. Mauricio Pereira da Cunha, from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, will provide expertise in the area of sensor platform development in general, and acoustic wave sensors in particular. Pereira DaCunha is a 2002 NSF CAREER award recipient, who has worked for more than 16 years in the acoustics microwave area. Dr. Paul Millard, from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, is a microbiologist with more than 15 years of experience in microbial detection and analysis. Both Pereira da Cunha and Millard are affiliated with the University of Maine's Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology, a multidisciplinary laboratory with appropriate facilities for the realization of the proposed tasks.The research activities described in this proposal are consistent with the purpose of the NSF SGER program. The research plan brings together expertise and research results from two separate but related areas, and moves both areas forward into a new, exploratory application that is highly relevant to bioterrorism threats, particularly in liquid and mist environments.Pereira da Cunha recently fabricated a successful Shear Horizontal Surface Acoustic Wave (SH) SAW mode device utilizing the new Langasite family of crystals (LGX). He tested this device in a liquid environment and has obtained preliminary results for proof-of-concept device performance. Millard has developed immobilized molecular padlock technology for nucleic acid recognition and amplification, allowing for the rapid detection of pathogenic viruses and bacteria in aquaculture. The proposed exploratory research combines molecular padlock probes for specific nucleic acid amplification with the SH-SAW sensor platform to produce an inexpensive hybrid biosensor to detect microbial pathogens in liquid quickly, accurately and reliably. Successful detection of these agents will justify the generation of molecular probes for detecting selected waterborne human pathogens that are likely agents of bioterrorism, i.e. enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, and Vibrio cholera.The research will be conducted over one year, with the assistance of two M.S. students. Research results will be integrated with education through an NSF GK-12 program for area high schools, undergraduate courses, and an NSF REU program that involves university students from around the U.S. Research results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference proceedings, and international symposia.