Raman Monitor for Diagnosis of Salt Sensitivity

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的重点是评估在常规体检中识别盐敏感个体的新测试方法的可行性。我们计划利用的技术是表面增强拉曼散射（SERS），这是一种众所周知的用于精确实验室鉴定有机化合物的分析技术。我们建议用SERS拉曼光谱分析来鉴定尿液中盐敏感性的化学标记物。总体目标是开发一种便携式现场设备，其用途足够广泛，可以用于从现场体检过程中收集的样品中立即识别盐敏感个体的化学标记物，这些标记物预计将以微量形式存在于尿液中，以便及时进行适当的干预和/或治疗。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The focus of the proposed program is to evaluate the feasibility of a new testing approach for the identification of individuals with salt sensitivity during routine physical examination. The technology we plan to utilize is surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), a well-known analytical technique for precise lab identification of organic compounds. We propose to identify the chemical markers for salt sensitivity excreted in the urine by SERS Raman spectroscopy analysis. The overall aim is to develop a portable on-site device versatile enough so that it can be used for immediate identification of chemical markers in salt sensitive individuals, markers expected to be present as trace amounts in urine, from samples collectible on-site in the course of a physical examination to allow appropriate intervention and/or treatment in a timely fashion. Our revised Phase 1 program is designed to assess the capability of Raman to quantify the levels of a range of representative markers for salt sensitivity in a simple model urine sample with varying concentrations of selected representative marker materials present. Additional initial testing will be performed on actual urine samples for a first evaluation of the sensitivity and selectivity of the Raman monitoring approach. In Phase 2 we would expand the process to on-site urinalysis paralleling actual on-site examination and clinical testing procedures.