Microlaser Biosensor with Integrated Dual Beam Optical Trap

具有集成双光束光阱的微型激光生物传感器

• 批准号: 1028440
• 负责人: Andrea Armani
• 金额: $ 33万
• 依托单位: University of Southern California
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-08-15 至 2014-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1028440&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Microlaser; Biosensor; Integrated; Dual; Beam

An emerging interdisciplinary research area is systems biology. This field is investigating how individual biological cells communicate, both internally and between cells. These communication pathways are similar to a complex electrical circuit, in which the cell communication mechanism is a cascade, with multiple signals being generated simultaneously. Untangling these parallel signals can be extremely complicated, requiring researchers to study single cells instead of large groups or ensembles of cells. However, many of the currently available analytical techniques require a high concentration of cells and consequently are unable to provide a conclusive result. Unfortunately, the few existing single cell experimental techniques require fluorescent labeling, making them unsuited for monitoring cell to cell communication in real-time.Intellectual Merit:The primary focus of this research is to develop an instrument which can eavesdrop on cellular communications, at the single cell level and use it to study human aortic vascular cells. By integrating an optical trap, or a photon tweezer, with an ultra-sensitive detector, it will be possible to detect the change in the signaling behavior of the aortic vascular cells in real-time. The ability to perform these studies in real-time at the single cell level is not possible with the current state-of-the-art methods. This technology can be applied to numerous biological systems and cell lines, further expanding its impact on biological research. Broader Impacts:The training future scientists and engineers at all age levels is a critical component of this project. In addition to the graduate student who will be supported by this project, several undergraduate researchers whose stipends are provided through USC's Undergraduate Research Fund and the Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Program will be involved in different aspects of this project. They will have the opportunity to learn state-of-the-art instrumentation and fabrication methods in USC's Class 10 cleanroom and electron microscopy center. Additionally, high school teachers who are participating in an NSF Research Experience for Teachers (RET) program at USC will also contribute to this research. Results will be presented at professional conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals, and the equipment will be demonstrated to middle school and high school visitors to the laboratory.

新兴的跨学科研究领域是系统生物学。 该领域正在研究单个生物细胞在内部和细胞之间如何沟通。 这些通信途径类似于复杂的电路，其中细胞通信机制是级联，同时产生了多个信号。 解开这些平行信号可能非常复杂，要求研究人员研究单个细胞，而不是大型组或细胞集合。 但是，许多当前可用的分析技术需要高浓度的细胞，因此无法提供结论性的结果。 不幸的是，少数现有的单细胞实验技术需要荧光标记，这使得它们不适合实时监测细胞与细胞通信的监测：这项研究的主要重点是开发一种可以在单细胞水平上窃取细胞通信的仪器，并使用IT来研究人类主动脉血管细胞。 通过将光学陷阱或光子镊子与超敏感检测器集成，可以实时检测主动脉血管细胞的信号传导行为的变化。 使用当前的最新方法，无法在单细胞水平上实时进行这些研究的能力。 该技术可以应用于众多的生物系统和细胞系，进一步扩大其对生物学研究的影响。 更广泛的影响：各个年龄段的培训未来的科学家和工程师是该项目的关键组成部分。除了将得到该项目支持的研究生外，几位本科研究人员还通过USC的本科研究基金提供津贴，科学与工程学（WISE）计划的妇女将参与该项目的不同方面。 他们将有机会在USC的10级洁净室和电子显微镜中心学习最先进的仪器和制造方法。 此外，参加USC的NSF研究经验（RET）计划的高中教师也将为这项研究做出贡献。 结果将在专业会议上介绍，并在同行评审的期刊上发布，并将向中学和高中访问者展示设备。