Photonic Biosensors for Point of Care Diagnostics, Monitoring and Screening

光子学和微流体的结合为开发便携式医疗诊断、筛查和监测系统提供了机会。这些高质量的护理点测试系统使医疗保健技术能够直接应用于患者。这种系统在发展中国家具有特别重要的应用，因为发展中国家往往缺乏获得最先进医疗诊断设施的机会。然而，它们在发达国家也有使用的潜力，这些国家正在与不断上升的卫生费用作斗争，在这些国家，低成本的便携式诊断可以提供更快速的结果，从而导致更有效的护理。此外，护理点系统开辟了个性化治疗的可能性，从而可以实时监测药物的效果，并根据患者的个性化情况优化有效剂量。

The combination of photonics and microfluidics provides an opportunity to develop portable medical diagnostics, screening and monitoring systems. These high quality, point of care testing systems enable health care technologies to be taken directly to the patient. Such systems have particularly important applications in developing countries where there is often a lack of access to state of the art medical diagnostic facilities. However there is also potential for their use in developed countries, which are struggling with spiraling health costs and where low cost portable diagnostics can provide more rapid results which leads to more effective care. In addition point of care systems open up the possibility of personalized treatment whereby the effect of medications can be monitored in real time and effective dosages optimized on an individualized patient basis. To make point of care testing a reality, there is a need to develop improved, multi-modal systems which are capable of measuring simultaneously more than a single parameter. This discovery grant application outlines a program of work that will enable a) the development of multi-modal sensing methodologies and b) the development of on-chip lasers and spectrometers. It is the combination of these research themes which will enable the development of rugged and robust point of care systems. Trainees engaged on the project will have the opportunity to work on a number of multi-disciplinary projects aimed at developing tests such as optical enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and surface plasmon molecular sensors. The research program will also focus on integrating sample preparation steps with the photonic sensors to produce a cartridge-based approach to integrating a particular test. In parallel this discovery grant will support work on the development of a vertical approach to monolithically integrating III-V semiconductor components on a single chip to produce the spectrometers and lasers required to enable the portable systems described. Trainees will have the opportunity to interact with experts in nanotechnology, biomedical engineering and medical diagnostics. The combination of integrated optics and micro-fluidics is set to enable portable medical diagnostics, screening and monitoring systems. In the longer term, advance laser sources and integrated spectrometers will deliver a completely non-invasive approach to blood testing which does not require a finger prick sized sample. This will make systems more user friendly and compatible with the burgeoning wearable health-related technology sector.