PFI:AIR - TT: Commercialization of Nanomembrane-based SERS sensors

这个PFI：空气技术翻译项目专注于翻译一种具有特殊分子识别能力的新型光子材料。目前的分子传感器复杂、昂贵，且重复性和可扩展性有限。这些事实阻碍了分子传感器的采用，尽管法医、毒理学和生物医学领域对分子传感器产生了巨大的工业和科学兴趣。高度可扩展且价格低廉的SERF(敏感可擦除可重复流动)传感器将引领无处不在的分子识别设备的时代，用于各种应用，如生物识别和健康筛查、痕量危害检测(生物危害、毒素、药物和爆炸物残留物)和化学质量控制。除了经济实惠的制造外，SERF技术还具有比领先的商业基板(Klarite(TM)；Renishaw Inc.)高7倍的灵敏度和更大的一致性。农奴传感器在流动检测和表面清洁方面也具有首创的能力，以供重复使用。该项目将为农奴传感器确定最具商业可行性的分子靶标，并优化用于检测该分子的材料和原型。该项目在将实验室发现转化为商业应用的过程中解决了几个技术差距。首先，SERF传感器由高密度的光学响应性纳米孔组成，而不是低密度的微图案化特征，与领先的基于光子的传感器相比，它提高了检测的灵敏度和一致性。其次，作为一种多孔结构，SERF技术允许样品流过传感器，克服了扩散限制的响应时间，这对于现有传感器的痕量分子来说是不切实际的(天)。最后，通过通过其连续的金属表面施加小电流，可以重复使用或清洁SERF传感器。此功能可用于重置传感器并克服因结垢造成的性能损失。该项目汇集了一家世界领先的纳米膜制造商(Roussie Co-Pi；Simporle Inc.)与领先的纳米膜研究实验室(McGrath Pi；罗切斯特大学)和世界一流的光子学专家(Webb Co-Pi；诺丁汉大学)合作，将一项新的实验室发现转化为改善人类福利的行业的商业影响。罗切斯特大学的一名研究生和农奴技术的共同发明人将在客户发现访谈和商业模式画布的开发中与PI和Co-PI合作，接受动手创业培训。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating a novel photonic material with exceptional molecular recognition capabilities. Current molecular sensors are complex, expensive and suffer from limited reproducibility and scalability. These facts have hampered the adoption of molecular sensors despite immense industrial and scientific interest from the fields of forensics, toxicology, and biomedicine. Highly scalable and inexpensive, SERF (Sensitive Erasable Reproducible Flow-through) sensors will lead to an era of ubiquitous molecular identification devices for diverse applications such as biometric and health screening, trace hazard detection (biohazards, toxins, drugs, and explosive residues), and chemical quality control. In addition to affordable manufacturing, the SERF technology has a 7 fold higher sensitivity and greater uniformity than the leading commercial substrate (Klarite(TM); Renishaw Inc.). The SERF sensor also has first-of-a-kind capabilities in flow-through detection and surface cleaning for reuse. The project will identify the most commercially viable molecular target for the SERF sensor and optimize the material and a prototype for the detection of this molecule. This project addresses several technology gaps as it translates a laboratory discovery into a commercial application. First, composed of a high density of optically responsive nanopores rather than the low-density micropatterned features, the SERF sensor improves both the sensitivity and uniformity of detection compared to the leading photonic-based sensors. Second, as a porous structure the SERF technology allows sample flow through the sensor, overcoming diffusion limited response times that are impractical (days) for trace molecules with existing sensors. Finally, the SERF sensor can be reused or cleaned with the application of a small current through its contiguous metallic surface. This feature can be used to reset sensors and to overcome performance loss due to fouling. The project brings together a world-leading nanomembrane manufacturer (Roussie Co-PI; SiMPore Inc.) with a leading nanomembrane research laboratory (McGrath PI; University of Rochester) and world-class experts in photonics (Webb Co-PI; Nottingham University) to translate a novel laboratory discovery toward commercial impact in industries that improve human welfare. A University of Rochester graduate student and co-inventor of the SERF technology will receive hands on entrepreneurship training by working with PIs and Co-PIs in customer discovery interviews and in the development of a business model canvas.