CREWS: Chemical Resonance Excitation Wavelength Selection for Label-Free DNA Analysis

该项目将开发一种多波长表面增强拉曼光谱(SERS)方法，用于确定与抗菌素耐药性相关的特定基因的基因组突变。PI已经发表了令人信服的初步结果，从测量的SERS光谱中提取与DNA链组成有关的信息。快速确定与抗菌素耐药性相关的特定基因中的基因组突变的能力将产生重大的社会影响。该项目将为几个多学科领域的研究生和本科生提供科学培训，使他们接触先进的光子学、纳米级制造、表面化学和医学诊断。该项目的目标是开发化学共振激发波长选择(CROWS)方法，以确定与抗菌素耐药性(AMR)相关的特定基因的基因组突变。建议的平台使用多个激发波长来最大化使用拉曼光谱从DNA获得的数据量，并使用先进的信号处理技术来识别导致AMR的基因突变。该技术提供了一种不需要DNA测序的基因组突变检测的替代方法，可以快速有效地对DNA链中的单点突变进行无标记检测。

This project will develop a multiwavelength surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) method for determining genomic mutations within specific genes related to antimicrobial resistance. The PI has published convincing preliminary results on extracting relevant information related to the composition of DNA strands from the measured SERS spectra. The ability to rapidly determining the genomic mutations within specific genes related to antimicrobial resistance would have a significant societal impact.mThe project will provide scientific training for students at graduate and undergraduate levels across several multidisciplinary fields, exposing them to advanced photonics, nanoscale fabrication, surface chemistry, and medical diagnostics. The goal of this project is to develop the chemical resonance excitation wavelength selection (CREWS) method for determining genomic mutations within specific genes related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The proposed platform employs multiple excitation wavelengths to maximize the amount of data acquired from DNA using Raman spectroscopy, and uses advanced signal processing techniques to identify mutations within genes responsible for causing AMR. This technique provides an alternative approach to genomic mutation detection without the need for DNA sequencing, in which quick and efficient label-free detection of single point mutations in DNA strands can be performed.