PFI: AIR-TT: Microwave flow cytometer: monitor yeast cell growth and microbial contamination in fermentation

该PFI：AIR技术转化项目的重点是转化可调谐微波干涉仪技术，以满足发酵过程中酵母细胞在线监测和微生物污染早期检测的需求。 拟议的微波流式细胞仪（µFC）非常重要，因为它提供了优化发酵过程、提高产量、监测微生物污染和控制各种行业（包括生物乙醇燃料、酿造和蒸馏行业）产品质量的基本信息。 这些行业的美国公司每年提供数百万个就业机会，创造价值数千亿美元的经济产出。 提高生产力和减少微生物污染造成的经济损失对它们的持续繁荣和增长至关重要。 微波流式细胞仪具有以下独特的功能：无需试剂的细胞检测和识别，稳健的操作和用户友好的仪器。 这些功能具有以下优点：低成本操作，活的和非活的酵母细胞的在线计数，以及与市场空间中的领先竞争技术相比时的微生物污染的早期检测，例如光密度（OD）检测，射频生物量感测，基于显微镜的细胞计数，基于染色的活力评估，和基于化学反应的酵母活性监测。该项目将对微波流式细胞仪技术进行概念验证，以准确计数酵母细胞（cells/mL），测定酵母的生理状态（生存力和活力），并在典型的发酵过程中鉴定典型的野生酵母和细菌。 将获得这些微生物的微波特性和特征的初步数据库。 该项目将解决以下知识和技术差距：典型发酵酵母和细菌的微波特性和特征，用于单个酵母细胞和细菌检测和区分的适当µFC频率，以及微波流式细胞仪的设计，制造和操作技术。 此外，参与该项目的人员，包括本科生和研究生，将通过表征酵母细胞的微波特性和识别其特征来获得创新经验。 学生将通过开发用户友好的微波流式细胞仪仪器获得技术翻译经验。 他们还将通过与该项目的工业合作伙伴的密切互动获得创业经验。该项目聘请了位于肯塔基州丹维尔的Ferm Solutions和Wilderness Trail Distillery，为这项从研究发现到商业现实的技术转化工作提供测试环境和商业化指导。

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating tunable microwave interferometer technology to fill the need for online monitoring of yeast cells and early detection of microbial contamination in fermentation processes. The proposed microwave flow cytometer (µFC) is important because it provides essential information to optimize the fermentation process, improve production yield, monitor microbial contamination, and control product quality in various industries, including the bioethanol fuel, brewing and distilling industries. American companies in these industries support millions of jobs and produce several hundred billion dollars' worth of economic outputs annually. Improving productivity and reducing financial loss caused by microbial contaminations are critical for their continued prosperity and growth. The microwave flow cytometer has the following unique features: reagent free cell detection and identification, robust operation, and user friendly instrumentation. These features provide the following advantages: low cost operation, online counting of viable and nonviable yeast cells, and early detection of microbial contamination when compared to the leading competing technologies in the market space, such as optical density (OD) detection, radio-frequency biomass sensing, microscopy based cell counting, staining based viability evaluation, and chemical reaction based yeast activity monitoring.This project will result in a proof-of-concept demonstration of microwave flow cytometer technology for accurately counting yeast cells (cells/mL) at high speed, determining yeast physiological state (viability and vitality), and identifying typical wild yeasts and bacteria in typical fermentation processes. A preliminary database of the microwave properties and signatures of these microorganisms will be obtained. This project will address the following knowledge and technology gaps: the microwave properties and signatures of typical fermentation yeasts and bacteria, the appropriate µFC frequencies for individual yeast cell and bacteria detection and differentiation, and the techniques for the design, fabrication and operation of microwave flow cytometers. In addition, personnel involved in this project, including undergraduate and graduate students, will receive innovation experience through characterizing the microwave properties of yeast cells and identifying their signatures. The students will receive technology translation experience through developing user friendly microwave flow cytometer instruments. They will also receive entrepreneurship experience through close interactions with the industrial partners of the project.This project engages Ferm Solutions and Wilderness Trail Distillery in Danville, KY to provide test environment and commercialization guidance in this technology translation effort from research discovery toward commercial reality.