A low-cost, compact spectral imaging microsystem for rapid, regenerative and highly selective nucleic acid detection

在医疗、法医和农业领域，对低成本和紧凑型即时生化检测仪器的需求变得越来越明显。实现这种检测的技术是有需求的，并且已经开始变得突出。作为核酸检测装置的一个例子，通过将数千至数百万个点组装到共同的基底上来制造普遍存在的微阵列，每个点由独特的单链DNA/RNA探针序列组成。尽管微阵列有许多优点，但也有缺点。它们具有高制造成本、低可重复使用性，并且与样品的制备和分析相关的设备众多且庞大。这些缺点代表了生物传感器的巨大机会，生物传感器是将探针材料直接固定到转导元件的装置，转导元件将生物识别事件转化为可测量的分析信号。该提案代表了开发便携式生物传感器技术的创新性飞跃，该技术结合了多色量子点作为波长复用纳米级生物传感器的新工作，用于非标记核酸靶标的荧光检测，光谱敏感CMOS成像器微芯片设计，以及使用自定义微流体网络。拟议的研究将产生快速，可重复使用和高选择性的核酸检测技术，以制造低成本和紧凑的即时生化检测仪器。因此，可以实现以前无与伦比的医疗保健覆盖范围，使加拿大人的寿命更长，更健康。

The need for low-cost and compact point-of-care biochemical detection instruments has become increasingly pronounced in the medical, forensic, and agricultural sectors. Technologies that enable such detection are in demand and have started to become prominent. As an example of a nucleic acid detection device, the ubiquitous microarrays are manufactured by assembling thousands to millions of spots onto a common substrate, each comprised of unique single-stranded DNA/RNA probe sequences. Despite many advantages of the microarrays there are drawbacks. They have high manufacturing cost, low reusability, and the equipment associated with the preparation and analysis of samples are numerous and bulky. These drawbacks represent vast opportunities for biosensors - devices that immobilize probe material directly to a transduction element that translates the bio-recognition event into a measurable analytical signal. This proposal represents an innovative leap forward to develop a portable biosensor technology that combines new work in multi-colour quantum dots as wavelength-multiplexed nanoscale biosensors for fluorescence detection of non-labeled nucleic acid targets, spectrum-sensitive CMOS imager microchip design, and use of custom microfluidic networks. The proposed research will yield rapid, reusable and highly selective nucleic acid detection technologies to enable manufacturing low-cost and compact point-of-care biochemical detection instruments. As a result, a previously unmatched scope of health care coverage can be achieved, leading to longer and healthier lives of Canadians.