Probing molecular interactions on soft surfaces by scanning probe microscopy

检测细菌和传染病使我们的饮用水安全，我们的医院没有细菌。目前医院使用的检测方法是可靠和敏感的，但需要长达5天的时间才能得到结果，这使得细菌在诊断前可能繁殖到危险的水平。NSERC发现计划的学生将开发研究表面分子相互作用的材料和方法。他们将使用一套名为扫描探针显微镜的特殊成像工具，在100纳米以下的范围内揭示表面的化学和物理。我们的长期目标是利用显微镜的高分辨率能力，增加细胞表面结合位点的可见度。这就要求我们开发合适的标签材料，并研究如何使用它们。纳米粒子将被制备出来，并用生物识别和二茂铁分子进行功能化。这些纳米颗粒将被设计成结合到特定的抗原部位，并发出增强的电化学信号。使用这些工具来创造创新的材料将使研究人员能够研究细菌细胞的表面。对细胞表面特征的更多了解将导致制定更好的战略，以制造能够检测和识别细菌并可用于环境和卫生部门的生物传感器设备。这些设备能够以低成本快速返回检测结果，这将降低患者在医疗环境中接触有害细菌的风险，提高治疗效果，并减少他们的住院时间。在环境方面，它将允许市政当局更快地发布沸腾警告和海滩关闭，并允许人们更频繁地使用水井或游泳池来监测水质。参加该培训计划的学生将有机会从事与多个领域相关的研究，并与卫生和环境部门的专家互动。他们将具有很强的技术能力和解决问题的能力。在电化学、表面化学和生物分析技术方面的跨学科培训，将为他们在仪器开发、药物筛选和生物技术领域的学术和工业职业生涯奠定基础。

Detecting bacteria and infectious diseases keeps our drinking water safe and our hospitals germ-free. Detection methods currently used in hospitals are reliable and sensitive but take up to 5 days to get results, which allows bacteria to multiply possibly to dangerous levels before diagnosis. Students in this proposed NSERC Discovery program will develop materials and methodology for investigating molecular interactions on surfaces. They will use a set of special imaging tools called scanning probe microscopes to reveal the chemistry and physics on surfaces at sub-100 nm scale. Our long-term goal is to take advantage of the high-resolution ability of the microscopes and increase the visibility of binding sites on cell surfaces. This requires us to develop suitable labeling materials and study how to use them. Nanoparticles will be prepared and functionalized with bio-recognition and ferrocene molecules. These nanoparticles will be designed to bind onto specific antigen sites and give out enhanced electrochemical signals. Using these tools to create innovative materials will enable researchers to study the surface of the bacteria cells. Gaining more insight into cell surface features will lead to developing better strategies to make biosensor devices that can detect and identify bacteria and that can be used in the environment and in the health sector. The ability of these devices to return tests results quickly and at low cost will lower patients' risk of exposure to harmful bacteria in medical settings, improve the effectiveness of treatment and reduce the length of their hospital stays. In an environmental setting, it will allow municipalities to issue boil advisories and beach closures sooner, and people using wells or swimming pools to monitor water quality more frequently. Students in this training program will have opportunities to work on research that connects with multiple fields and interact with experts from health and environmental sectors. They will have strong technical and problem-solving skills. The interdisciplinary training in electrochemistry, surface chemistry, and bio-analytical techniques, will position them for academic and industrial careers in instrumentation development, drug screening and biotechnology sectors.