Optical microcavities for immunoassay-based molecular detection

该项目由DSTL的iCASE支持，旨在将荧光免疫测定与腔增强型传感器的超灵敏检测能力相结合，以实现微流体设备中的高度靶向单分子计数。它建立在研究小组自2010年以来在制造“开放获取”光学微腔方面所做的工作的基础上，这些微腔已通过2018年分拆的Oxford HighQ（也是该项目的顾问）商业化。它还建立在我们在纳米金刚石中使用缺陷中心的单光子源上所做的大量工作的基础上。该项目的第一年将用于建造该项目的主要仪器，即具有单分子检测能力的荧光显微镜和具有内置光学微腔的微流体系统。将进行第一个实验，以证明流过该装置的染料分子的荧光检测。与此同时，还将进行一些开发免疫测定的初步工作，其中包括对可能的干扰物进行测试。第二年的目标是将免疫测定的产物输送到微腔中进行检测，从而证明该技术的有效性。一旦在高浓度分析物的情况下实现了这一基本能力，学生将测试较低浓度并研究单分子计数。该项目的最终目标将是展示腔增强荧光检测对基于免疫测定的检测的好处。工作将在牛津大学材料系设备齐全的光学实验室进行。免疫分析的开发将在牛津HighQ所在的创新和企业中心进行。定期项目会议将与主管Smith和Vallance，工业赞助商（DSTL）和工业合作伙伴（Oxford HighQ Ltd）举行。它符合全球不确定性，医疗保健技术和量子技术的EPSRC主题。

This project, supported with an iCASE from DSTL, is aimed at combining fluorescence immunoassays with the ultra-sensitive detection capabilities of cavity-enhanced sensors to achieve highly targeted single molecule counting in a microfluidic device. It builds on work done in the research group since 2010 on the fabrication of 'open access' optical microcavities, which have since been commercialised via 2018 spin-out Oxford HighQ (who are also advisers to the project). It also builds on extensive work we have done on single photon sources using defect centres in nanodiamond. The first year of the project will be spent building the principal apparatus for the project, namely a fluorescence microscope with single molecule detection capabilities and a microfluidic system with built-in optical microcavities. Frst experiments will be carried out to demonstrate fluorescence detection of dye molecules flowing through the device. In parallel some initial work on developing the immunoassays will also be done, which will include testing against likely interferents.In the second year the goal will be to deliver the product of immunoassays to the microcavity for detection, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of the technique. Once this basic capability has been achieved with high concentrations of analyte, the student will test lower concentrations and investigate single molecule counting. The final goal for the project will be to demonstrate the benefits of cavity-enhanced fluorescence detection for immunoassay-based detection.Work will be carried out in a well-equipped optics laboratory in the Department of Materials at the University of Oxford. Immunoassay development will be done at the Centre for Innovation and Enterprise where Oxford HighQ are based. Regular project meetings will be held with Supervisors Smith and Vallance, the industrial sponsor (DSTL) and industrial partner (Oxford HighQ Ltd).It aligns with the EPSRC themes of global uncertainties, healthcare technologies and quantum technologies.