Automating chemical assays via multi-layer tableting

化学传感器对于检测植物、食物、人类和动物中的病原体和污染物至关重要。在过去的20年里，小分子、蛋白质、核酸和碳水化合物的分子检测有了重大的发展。然而，大多数敏感检测不能由非专业人员进行，需要在集中的实验室设施中配备熟练的技术人员和设备。这个问题是由于大多数测试都有多个步骤，并且执行起来很复杂。在这项NSERC发现资助中，我的目标是开发一种多步骤片剂（MST），能够为检测过程的每一步顺序释放试剂。为了构建这些片剂，我们有三个目标：(1)建立控制片剂溶出度的方法；(2)建立能够对每个单元的反应时间进行编程的多步骤片剂（MSTs）合成策略；(3)针对不同的分子靶点优化MSTs。这一发展的影响是使非专业人员能够进行复杂的多步骤检测程序。他们可以简单地添加一个平板电脑，等待一个小时，用智能手机相机拍摄信号的变化，并使用应用程序来解释结果。用户可以将结果发送到一个集中的设施进行监控。我们这项NSERC发现基金的主要重点是开发设计这些多步骤药片（MSTs）的方法。目前的NSERC发现基金对我的研究项目很重要。2003年，我们的第一个NSERC发现基金专注于开发检测技术，其长期目标是将这些技术转化为非专业人员使用。在过去的19年中，我们开发了纳米颗粒（2004-2010），优化和开发了多重纳米颗粒检测（2010-2015），以及读取检测结果的设备（2015-2020）。我们开始考虑探测系统的实际用途。该实用程序要求试剂的可移植性，交付性和自动化-该项目是我们检测技术开发的最后一个关键周期。我们在优秀的期刊上发表了我们的研究，以激励该研究领域的其他人，并获得了许多成果的专利。我们培养了杰出的研究人员，他们在工业界和学术界都有影响。完成该项目后的下一步将是将我们的检测技术推向商业产品，供更广泛的社区使用。我们的合作伙伴将生产和制造供公众使用的平板电脑、读出仪器和软件。第四次Discovery Grant的完成将结束我的研究实验室的探测主题。这将使我的小组能够探索其他研究课题（例如，光电子学和显示）。

Chemical sensors are essential for the detection of pathogens and contaminants in plants, food, humans, and animals. There have been significant developments in molecular tests for small molecules, proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates in the last 20 years.  However, most of the sensitive tests cannot be done by non-specialists and requires skilled technicians and equipment in a centralized laboratory facility. This issue is due to the fact that most tests have multiple steps and are complex to conduct.  In this NSERC Discovery Grant, my aim is to develop a multi-step tablet (MST) capable of sequentially releasing reagents for each step of a detection procedure.  To build these tablets, we have three aims: (1) develop methods to control the tablet's dissolution rate, (2) develop strategies to synthesize multi-step tablets (MSTs) with the ability to program the reaction time in each unit, and (3) optimize the MSTs for different molecular targets. The impact of this development is to enable the non-specialist to conduct complex and multi-step detection procedures. They can simply add a tablet, wait one hour, image the change in the signal using a smartphone camera, and use an app to interpret results. The user can send the results to a centralized facility for monitoring.  Our main focus of this NSERC Discovery Grant is to develop methods to design these multi-step tablets (MSTs).  The current NSERC Discovery Grant is significant to my research program. In 2003, our first NSERC Discovery Grant focused on developing detection technology with a long-term objective to translate these technologies for use by non-specialists. Through the last 19 years, we have developed nanoparticles (2004-2010), optimized and developed multiplex nanoparticle assays (2010-2015), and devices to readout the assays (2015-2020).  We started to think of practical utility of our detection systems.   This utility requires reagent portability, delivery and automation-this project is a crucial last cycle of our detection technology development. We published our studies in excellent journals to inspire others in this research area and patented many results. We have trained exceptional researchers that are having an impact in industry and academia. The next step after completing this project would be to advance our detection technology to commercial products for access by the broader community.  Our partners will produce and manufacture our tablet, read-out instrument, and software for use by the general public. The completion of this fourth Discovery Grant would close the detection theme of my research laboratory. It will enable my group to explore other research topics (e.g., optoelectronics and displays).