SGER: A MEMS Biosensor Integrated with Microfluidics for Pathogen Detection

智能优点：拟议的生物传感微系统旨在利用集成的微流控技术以超低的样本量检测生物化学物质和病原体。尽管过去几年在微流体方面进行了大量研究，但谐振式传感器的设计和集成？哪一种可以提供非常高的灵敏度和分辨率？进入微流控系统仍然是一个挑战。提出的方法提供了一种无标记检测器，它利用与液体样品直接接触的体声波谐振器；但它将液体衰减引起的品质因数(Q)下降降至最低，这对于测量典型生化样品中蛋白质的浓度范围(约0.7Femtomol)是必不可少的。谐振器传感和驱动机构的解耦有助于最大限度地提高Q值，使测量能够由目标分析物的质量调制微小的频率变化，这是由于分子探针(固定剂)与液体样品中的目标分析物(例如。白蛋白、免疫球蛋白、胰岛素等)。这个项目预计将导致一个由来自多个部门和中心的研究人员参与的合作研究计划。广泛的影响：拟议的研究结果预计将对生化应用的分析仪器产生重大影响。由于MEMS固有的批量制造，该生物传感器可以阵列以提供非常小的形状因数的一系列检测器。这些应用包括DNA分析、有毒化学物质检测、半自动或全自动早期诊断、治疗部署和癌症早期检测。超小样本量的要求可以大大降低一般生化分析的时间和成本。亚利桑那州立大学和富尔顿工程学院受益于全州人口中有很大一部分代表不足的少数民族。特别是，在主要的工科学校中，它拥有最大比例的西班牙裔(超过10%)和美国印第安人(近3%)的本科生入学率，总体少数族裔入学率超过25%。这个项目将吸引有针对性的本科生参与这项研究。

Intellectual Merit:The proposed biosensing microsystem is intended for detecting biochemicals and pathogens using integrated microfluidics with ultra-low sample volume. Despite substantial research in microfluidics in past years, the design and integration of resonant sensors ? which can offer very high sensitivity and resolution ? into the microfluidic systems has remained a challenge. The proposed approach offers a label-free detector that utilizes a bulk acoustic wave resonator in direct contact with the liquid sample; however it minimizes the drop in quality factor (Q) caused by liquid damping, which is essential to measure common the concentration range of proteins in typical biochemical samples (ca. 0.7 femtomol). Decoupling of sensing and actuation mechanisms for the resonator helps to maximize Q, enabling the measurement minute frequency changes modulated by the mass of target analyte due to specific bindings between molecular probes (immobilizers) and target analytes in a liquid sample (eg. albumin, IgG, insulin, etc.). This project is expected to lead to a collaborative research program with the participation of investigators from several departments and centers.Broader Impact:The outcome of the proposed research is expected to have significant impact in analytical instruments for biochemical applications. Due to inherent batch fabrication of MEMS, the biosensor can be arrayed to offer a series of detectors in a very small form factor. The applications include DNA analysis, toxic chemical detection, semi- or fully automated early diagnosis, therapeutic deployment, and early cancer detection. The ultra-small sample volume requirement can provide drastic time and cost reduction on general biochemical analysis. Arizona State University and Fulton School of Engineering benefit from a state-wide population with large fraction of underrepresented minorities. In particular, among major engineering schools, it has the largest percent Hispanic (more than 10%) and American Indian (nearly 3%) undergraduate enrollment with an overall minority enrollment exceeding 25%. This project will engage targeted undergraduates in this research.