Enabling Open Tubular Liquid Chromatography for Single Mammalian Cell Analysis

在化学系化学测量和成像项目的支持下，俄克拉何马大学的刘少荣教授正在努力提高与单个细胞相关的化学物质的靶向分析方法的有效性，并获得了来自刺激竞争研究既定项目（EPSCoR）和分子与细胞生物科学系细胞动力学和功能项目的共同资助。通过设计增强的采样技术，并将其与改进的分离和高灵敏度检测相结合，Liu小组试图观察单个细胞对各种刺激的反应，从而补充通常用传统方法测量的总体平均值。通过与仪器制造商的合作，提高了技术影响，改善了该方法商业化的前景。教育的影响是通过外联的努力，吸引地区教师和参与国际本科生暑期研究经验计划。刘教授实验室的研究小组探索了窄开管液相色谱的效率限制，以确定和改进控制这些限制的因素。为了利用窄开管柱的优势，该小组制造了非常小的样品进样器和电喷雾发射器，使窄开管液相色谱与质谱联用能够进行单个哺乳动物细胞的原位分析。该研究旨在推进知识和扩展分离科学的边界。反过来，这将使细胞异质性的研究，提供更好地了解细胞如何发展和疾病如何演变。与仪器制造商的合作促进了这项技术的商业化。向农村高中的科学和数学教师介绍这些主题，旨在提高STEM教育的水平。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

With support from the Chemical Measurement and Imaging Program in the Division of Chemistry, and co-funding from the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and the Cellular Dynamics and Function Program in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, Professor Shaorong Liu at the University of Oklahoma is working to improve the effectiveness of methods targeting analysis of chemical species associated with individual cells. By devising enhanced sampling techniques and coupling them with improved separation and high-sensitivity detection, the Liu group seeks to enable observation of responses of individual cells to various stimuli, thereby complementing the ensemble average usually measured by conventional methods. Technical impact is enhanced through collaborations with instrument manufacturers, improving prospects for commercialization of the approach. Educational impacts are enhanced through outreach efforts engaging regional teachers and participation in an international undergraduate summer research experience program.The research group in Professor Liu's lab explores the efficiency limits of narrow open tubular liquid chromatography to identify and ameliorate the factors governing these limits. To exploit the advantages of narrow open tubular columns, the group fabricates very small sample injectors and electrospray emitters, enabling the coupling of narrow open tubular liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry for single mammalian cell in-situ analysis. The research seeks to advance knowledge and extend the boundaries of separation science. This in turn will enable studies of cell heterogeneity, providing better understanding how cells develop and how diseases evolve. Collaboration with an instrument manufacturer facilitates the commercialization of this technology. Introducing these topics to rural high school science and mathematics teachers seeks to leverage efforts to improve STEM education.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.