Design and micro/nanofabrication of microfluidic lab-on-a-chip biosensors

广泛目标：拟议的研究将应用纳米生物技术来应对工程挑战，并为疾病诊断和农业植物保护的芯片实验室（lab-on-a-chip）设备提供有效的解决方案。 相关背景：DNA/RNA检测的金标准是定量逆转录聚合酶链反应（qRT-PCR）。然而，该设备昂贵且不便携。此外，需要经过专业培训的技术人员来操作qRT-PCR仪器。我们提出了一种基于阻抗的MEMS器件作为替代解决方案。荧光检测只需要极少量的试剂，并且设备是完全自动化和便携式的。 即时应用包括COVID-19病毒检测。 流式细胞术是一种市售的细胞计数装置。但是，该设备体积较大，不适合现场监测。我们提出了一种介电电泳（DEP）电泳装置，用于精确测量空气中的病原体。可能的应用包括实时监测空气传播的COVID-19病毒和空气传播的对农产品有害的孢子。 研究目标：目标#1：开发等温扩增以扩增核酸，然后应用阻抗传感来读出测试结果。目标#2：整合介电电泳与阻抗传感，以实现单细胞传感。 核心专长：阿尔伯塔大学的Jie Chen博士的研究小组包括分子生物学、人工智能、微加工和表面化学专业的工程师和生物医学研究人员。在过去的8年里，我们开发了一种基于阻抗的检测装置，其功能与酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）相同。我们已经成功地测试了SARS-CoV-2的抗体与我们的荧光仪器。我们的设备和运行测试所需的所有必要组件的成本不到10美元，结果在一小时内报告。 预期成果：我们在加拿大制造的生物传感器设备可以检测飞摩尔浓度的核酸，并在单细胞水平上检测病原体。我们希望每年在顶级期刊上发表两到三篇文章。我们还希望培养博士后研究员和博士。学生在未来五年。我们希望申请两到三项专利，并将技术授权给加拿大公司，以确保我们的技术成功商业化并转化为最终用户。

Broad Goals: The proposed research will apply nanobiotechnologies to address engineering challenges and provide effective solutions in lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices for disease diagnosis and agricultural plant protection. Relevant Background: The gold standard for DNA/RNA tests is quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). However, the equipment is costly and is not portable. Further, professionally trained technical personnel are required to operate qRT-PCR instruments. We propose an impedance-based LOC device as an alternative solution. LOC tests only need a tiny amount of reagents, and the devices are fully automated and portable.  Immediate applications include COVID-19 viral testing. Flow cytometry is a commercially available device for cell counting. However, the device is large and not suitable for onsite monitoring. We propose a dielectrophoresis (DEP) LOC device for accurately measuring airborne pathogens. The possible applications include real-time monitoring of airborne COVID-19 virus and airborne spores harmful to agricultural food products. Research Aims: Aim #1: Develop isothermal amplification to amplify nucleic acids and then apply impedance sensing to read out test results. Aim #2: Integrate dielectrophoresis with impedance-sensing to achieve single-cell sensing.      Core Expertise: Dr. Jie Chen's research group at the University of Alberta includes engineers and biomedical researchers with specialties in molecular biology, artificial intelligence, microfabrication, and surface chemistry. Over the past 8 years, we have developed an impedance-based LOC devices that can function the same as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We have successful tested SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with our LOC device. The cost of our device and all the necessary components required to run a test is less than $10 with results being reported in one hour.   Expect Outcomes: Our  made-in-Canada LOC device can detect nucleic acids at femtomolar concentrations and detect pathogens at the single-cell level. We expect to publish two to three articles every year in top-ranking journals. We also expect to train postdoctoral fellows and Ph.D. students in the next five years. We expect to file two to three patents and license the technologies to Canadian companies to ensure successful commercialization of our technology and translation to end users.