An acoustic wave cytosensor system for living cell study

人们已经认识到，活细胞代表了生物进化系统，具有智能材料的所有属性。从某种意义上说，它们代表了最终的智能材料。利用活细胞作为高灵敏度、高选择性和高可靠性的传感器的主要挑战在于如何将细胞在特定条件下的生物学变化转换成定量的（或可测量的）物理参数.在这个项目中，我们提出了一个为期三年的研究工作，以开发一个爱模式的表面声波（SAW）生物传感器，可用于定量探测的行为，活细胞的附着，蔓延，和生长动力学在各种生物条件下。本课题的最终目标是证明这种声表面波器件能够提供一种高灵敏度的信号转导机制，使我们能够接触到作为活细胞的生物元件的附着在器件表面的细胞。2）研制一种由声表面波传感器阵列、微型孵育系统和显微镜系统组成的声表面波传感器系统; 3）通过研究人肌腱成纤维细胞的粘附/收缩活动来展示这种新型传感器系统的功能。本项目将涉及一种新型细胞传感器系统的建模、设计、制造、表征和生物学评价。本项目的广泛影响：本项目完成后，将提供一种新型传感器系统，该系统将能够同时测量多个样品，具有高度的灵敏度。本研究对当前生物传感器的研究和开发也将产生重大的影响，并将极大地促进活细胞作为转导装置的应用。这种新型的传感器系统将是一种以实时、快速、简单、定量和高通量的方式研究细胞生物学事件的有力工具，不仅在生物医学研究中，而且在监测环境污染物、药物筛选和功效测试中具有广泛的潜在应用。食品工业中的细菌和病毒检测，生物恐怖主义应用。该方案的教育方面将包括研究生和本科生研究人员的跨学科研究培训;通过皮特工程职业访问计划（PECAP），在每个夏季学期为K-12学生提供实践研究培训机会;通过多样性和少数民族工程项目协调的暑期工程学院（SEA）项目，为来自代表性不足群体的本科生提供暑期研究培训。本计画所提出之研究活动，将作为进阶课题纳入新的本科生与研究生课程中。

It has been recognized that living cells represent biologically evolved systems possessing all theattributes of smart materials. In some sense they represent the ultimate smart material. The majorchallenge in using living cells as highly sensitive selective and reliable sensors arises on how to transducethe biological changes of the cells under specific conditions into quantitative (or measurable) physicalparameters. In this project, we propose a three-years research effort to develop a Love-mode surfaceacoustic wave (SAW) biosensor that can be used to quantitatively probe the behavior of living cellattachment, spreading, and growth kinetics under various biological conditions. The ultimate goal is todemonstrate that the Love-mode SAW device can provide an electromechanical mechanism for highsensitive signal transduction that allows us to access the cells that attach on the surface of the device asthe biological element in this living cellLove-mode SAW biosensor system.The specific aims of this project are: 1) To design, modeling and characterize highly sensitive Love-mode SAW devices; 2) to develop a SAW sensor system consisting of a SAW sensor array, a mini-incubation system, and a microscope system; and 3) to show the functionality of this novel sensor systemby investigating adhesive/contractile activities of human tendon fibroblasts. This project will involvemodeling, design, fabrication, characterization, and biological evaluation of a novel cytosensor system.Broader Impact of This Project:When completed, this project will provide a novel sensor system that will be capable ofsimultaneously measuring multiple samples with a high degree of sensitivity. This study will also havesubstantial impact on the current biosensor research and development, and will greatly promote the use ofliving cells as transduction devices. The novel sensor system will be a powerful tool to study cellbiological events in a real-time, quick, easy, quantitative, and high throughput fashion, and will have widepotential applications not only in biomedical research but also in monitoring environmental contaminants,drug screening and efficacy testing, bacteria and virus testing in the food industry and for anti-bioterrorism applications.The education aspects of this program will include interdisciplinary research training of both graduateand undergraduate researchers; hands-on research training opportunities for K-12 students in eachsummer semester through the Pitt Engineering Career Access Program (PECAP); and summer researchtraining for undergraduate students from underrepresented groups through Summer Engineering Academy(SEA) program coordinated by the Diversity and Minority Engineering Programs. The research activitiesproposed in this project will be incorporated into new courses for both undergraduate and graduatestudent as advanced topics.