The career objective is, through integration of research and education, to innovate low-cost, point-of-use diagnostic technologies and train the next generation of globally engaged STEM leaders. Specifically, the goal is to significantly expand functionality of polydiacetylene-based biosensors for providing people in resource-limited regions with highly effective agricultural and medical disease diagnostic tools.
This project aims to use polydiacetylenes(PDA) polymer to develop low-cost colorimetric sensors that can be directly injected into plants for detecting various pathogenic bacteria. If successful the novel sensors can have a broad array of applications. The main hypothesis of the proposed research is that, by optimizing the capture probe configuration and the PDA composition, it will be possible to significantly improve sensitivity and detection limits of the PDA biosensors. An optimal combination of the probe length, conformation, and linker length will be identified. Second, optimal combination of the diacetylene structure, phospholipid additives, and vesicle size will be determined. These activities will shed light on the roles of each controllable parameter in experimentally observed sensor performances. Subsequently, successful capture probe and PDA designs will be used for developing printable sensors on paper substrates and injectable vesicle sensors in suspension, both targeting a bacterial plant pathogen, Pantoea stewartii. Collectively, this project is expected to produce new knowledge in design of PDA biosensor parameters and their role in signal generation and transduction. End application will include disseminating low cost sensor technology in East Africa through collaborators. In addition, a new undergraduate/graduate course on low cost diagnostic technology will be introduced and outreach to K-12 teachers and students is also planned. Online educational and documentary videos will be created to teach national and global audiences.
