Integrated Biosensing Platform for Waterborne Pathogen Detection: Improving Public Health

水媒疾病是由被称为病原体的微生物引起的，例如细菌、病毒等，这些微生物最常通过受污染的淡水水源传播。这些问题包括卫生条件差、农业径流、非法倾倒等造成污染的水库、河流和水井，所有这些都可能因水/废水基础设施差和缺乏水监测系统而进一步恶化。缓解这一问题的一种可能方法是开发小型便携式传感平台，将实验室中发现的技术集成到单一设备上。这种设备可以对多种淡水污染物进行现场快速分析，并产生易于阅读的数据输出，向环境机构、非政府组织或当地社区提供健康警告。本研究的主要目的是开发一种新型的多路生物传感平台，用于便携式集成检测水源性疾病的DNA，用于淡水水源地的实时和现场分析。在这个博士项目中，我们将专注于检测在受污染的淡水中常见的细菌DNA，包括但不限于：大肠杆菌、伤寒沙门氏菌和铜绿假单胞菌。具体地说，我们将开发一种带有DNA探针的复合生物传感器，能够定量检测病原体的目标DNA。我们将研究各种用于量化检测的技术，包括安培法、电化学阻抗和场效应晶体管的使用。我们还将研究氧化还原活性分子的使用，即所谓的嵌入剂，它直接与杂交的DNA结合，以及如何使用这些分子来极大地放大检测信号，以在小靶量的情况下实现更大的传感器能力。最后，我们希望集成现成的模块裂解和连接到传感器组件的聚合酶链式反应小室，用于DNA样本的设备上放大。最终目标是生产一种集微流控、过滤、裂解、聚合酶链式反应和DNA检测于一体的单芯片实验室类型的设备，以实现真正便携和快速检测的平台。该研究项目将进一步提供大学内外的合作机会，利用电气和电子工程系的DNA检测和生物传感器开发知识，化学工程系的微流体学知识，加的夫大学的氧化还原活性嵌入物的设计和使用，以及英国公共卫生组织的微生物生物化学。

Waterborne diseases are caused by microorganisms known as pathogens e.g. bacteria, viruses etc. that are most commonly spread through contaminated fresh water sources. These include reservoirs, rivers and wells with contamination being due to poor sanitation, agricultural runoff, illegal dumping etc. All of which may be further exacerbated by poor water/wastewater infrastructure and lack of water monitoring systems. One possible way of mitigating this issue is through the development of small portable sensing platforms that integrate techniques found in the lab onto a single device. Such a device could allow for rapid, field-based analysis of multiple freshwater contaminants and produce easy to read data outputs to provide health warnings to environmental agencies, NGOs or local communities. The main aim of this research is to develop a novel multiplexed biosensing platform for portable integrated detection of DNA from waterborne diseases for real-time and on-site analysis of freshwater sources. In this doctorate project we will be focussing on the detection of bacterial DNA commonly found in contaminated fresh water, including but not limited to; Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Specifically, we will be developing a multiplexed biosensor with a DNA probe capable of quantifying target DNA from pathogens. We will look at various techniques for quantifying detection including amperometry, electrochemical impedance and the use of field-effect transistors. We will also look at the use of redox-active molecules known as intercalators, which bind directly to the hybridised DNA, and how these might be used to greatly amplify the detection signal to enable greater sensor capability with small target quantities. Finally, we hope to integrate off-the-shelve modular lysis and PCR-chambers that couple to the sensor components for on-device amplification of DNA samples. The end goal is to produce a lab-on-a-chip type device integrating microfluidics, filtration, lysis, PCR and DNA detection for a platform capable of truly portable and rapid detection. This research project will further provide collaborative opportunities both within and outside of the university, drawing knowledge of DNA detection and biosensor development from the department of electrical and electronic engineering, microfluidics from the department of chemical engineering, design and use of redox-active intercalators from Cardiff University and microbial biochemistry from Public Health England.