Nanoparticle-Bridge DNA Sensor for Electrical Detection of Ultra-Low Concentrations of DNA Molecules

建议0925997PI：Seong jin Koh德克萨斯大学阿灵顿分校智力优点：该项目将研究一种新的DNA传感方法，该方法能够在不进行任何放大的情况下检测超低浓度的DNA分子。重要的是，它的传感器输出将是直接的电信号，不使用任何换能器，这具有许多优点，包括紧凑性、便携性、与其他系统的轻松集成、多路传感和低成本。所提出的DNA传感器的关键部件是：1)DNA杂交完全在纳米颗粒(直径~50 nm)的表面进行，2)目标DNA(待测DNA)分子的存在导致纳米颗粒-DNA-纳米颗粒结合物的形成，以及3)通过简单的I-V测量来检测纳米颗粒-DNA-纳米颗粒结合物。这种方法允许检测极少量的DNA分子，因为原则上，即使形成一个单一的纳米颗粒-DNA-纳米颗粒结合物也可以导致电流流过电极。拟议的DNA传感方法的高灵敏度可以在推进生物医学科学/技术，如疾病诊断和药物开发，以及保护我们的公民和士兵免受生物威胁/攻击方面发挥重要作用。更广泛的影响：该项目的更广泛的影响在于教育和推广计划，这些计划将与其研究部分相结合。学生培养是教育项目的重要组成部分之一。通过进行拟议的研究，学生将被广泛培养为具有竞争力的科学家和工程师。这将通过以下方式实现：设计实验，培训尖端实验工具，通过广泛的文献搜索和阅读获得该领域的深入而广泛的知识，与私营部门和同事讨论实验结果，并在国际会议和同行评议的期刊上介绍他们的研究结果。另一个重要的教育组成部分是在课堂上。课程MSE5351(纳米技术的最新主题)将为学生提供纳米技术领域最新重要进展的深入知识。这将通过PI讲授纳米科学和技术的关键概念和技术，以及学生阅读重要的里程碑式出版物并在课堂上讨论来完成。此外，本课程将提供几个实验模块，这些模块将以演示关键实验步骤和/或进行动手实验的形式进行。重要的是，拟议研究的结果将被纳入实验模块。该计划还将通过为K-12学生和教师提供科学夏令营来开展外展计划。特别是，其中一个夏令营将面向4年级或5年级的小学生。通过关注年轻人，这个夏令营旨在让年轻人接触到令人兴奋和有趣的科学技术世界，并激励他们追求科学技术事业，最终为我国在未来几代人在科学技术方面的优势做准备。

Proposal 0925997PI: Seong Jin KohThe University of Texas at ArlingtonIntellectual Merit:This project will investigate a new DNA sensing method which is capable of detecting ultra-low concentrations of DNA molecules without any amplification. Importantly, its sensor output will be a direct electrical signal, without using any transducers, which has numerous benefits including compactness, portability, facile integration with other systems, multiplex sensing, and low cost. The key components of the proposed DNA sensor are 1) DNA hybridization is carried out exclusively on the surface of nanoparticles (~50 nm in diameter), 2) the presence of target DNA (to-be-detected DNA) molecules leads to the formation of nanoparticle-DNA-nanoparticle conjugates, and 3) the nanoparticle-DNA-nanoparticle conjugates are detected using simple I-V measurements. This approach allows the detection of extremely small concentrations of DNA molecules since, in principle, the formation of even a single nanoparticle-DNA-nanoparticle conjugate can lead to a current flow across electrodes. The high sensitivity of the proposed DNA sensing method could play a significant role in advancing biomedical science/technology, such as disease diagnosis and medicine development, as well as protecting our citizens and soldiers from biological threats/attacks. Broader Impacts:The broader impacts of this project lie in the educational and outreach programs that will be integrated with its research component. Student training is one of the important parts of the educational program. By performing the proposed research, students will be extensively trained as competitive scientists and engineers. This will occur through their designing the experiments, training on cutting-edge experimental tools, obtaining deep and broad knowledge of the field through extensive literature search and reading, discussing the experimental results with the PI and colleagues, and presenting their findings in international conferences and peer-reviewed journals. The other important educational component is in the classroom. The course MSE5351 (Current Topics in Nanotechnology) will provide students in-depth knowledge of recent important advancements in the field of nanotechnology. This will be done through PI's lecturing on key concepts and techniques in nanoscale science and technology and also students' reading of important landmark publications and discussing them in the class. In addition, this class will provide several experimental modules which will take place in the form of demonstrating key experimental steps and/or carrying out hands-on experiments. Importantly, the resulting findings from the proposed research will be incorporated into the experimental modules. This program will also run outreach programs by providing science camps for K-12 students and teachers. In particular, one of the camps will be targeted for elementary students in their 4th or 5th grades. By focusing on young ages, this camp aims to expose young minds to the exciting and fun world of science and technology and to inspire them to pursue careers in science and technology, ultimately contributing to preparing for our nation's superiority in science and technology in generations to come.