FUNDAMENTAL STUDIES OF MOLECULARLY IMPRINTED XEROGELS

布法罗的纽约州立大学的Frank Bright教授得到了分析和表面化学项目的支持，以开发和评估用于传感器阵列开发的分子印迹干凝胶（MIX）的性能。 目标是提高传感器的选择性和稳定性。该小组将研究广泛的合成空间使用阵列方法在一个高度并行的方法。通过这种方式，他们将能够制备和筛选许多不同的干凝胶，以快速优化系统。 使用精心设计的荧光探针将提供有关分析物结合位点的分子动力学的信息。最后，这些传感器材料将被实现为阵列，并与CMOS阵列检测器结合使用，以开发便携式和廉价的集成传感器设备。化学传感器和生物传感器的开发继续得到工业界和联邦政府机构的大力支持。传感器领域具有巨大的市场潜力，如果能够解决各种限制，将彻底改变许多分析方法。这些限制包括“受体”的可用性、此类选择性试剂的稳定性、传感器组装的便利性和成本、以及多重化以提高可靠性并同时提供对多个靶的拓宽筛选的能力。Bright教授将所有这些元素带入这项工作，使学生能够在这个相关和跨学科领域接受培训。

Professor Frank Bright of the State University of New York at Buffalo is supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program to develop and evaluate the performance of molecularly-imprinted xerogels (MIXs) for sensor array development. The goal is to improve the selectivity and stability of sensors. The team will study a wide range of synthesis space using array methodologies in a highly parallel approach. In this fashion, they will be able to prepare and screen many different xerogels in an attempt to rapidly optimize the system. The use of well-designed fluorescent probes will provide for information about the molecular dynamics at the site of analyte binding. Finally, these sensor materials will be implemented into arrays and used in conjuction with a CMOS array detector towards the development of a portable and inexpensive integrated sensor device.The development of chemical sensors and biosensors continues to receive substantial support from industry and federal government agencies. The sensors field has enormous market potential, and would revolutionize many analytical methodologies if various limitations could be solved. Among these limitations are the availability of 'receptors', stability of such selective reagents, convenience and cost of assembly of sensors, and ability to multiplex to improve reliability and provide for broadened screening for multiple targets concurrently. Professor Bright brings all these elements into this work, enabling students to be trained in this relevant and cross-disciplinary area.