This award will address one of the most significant challenges in studying freshwater bacterial communities; having the ability to remotely sample and detect bacteria at high frequencies and with a high degree of specificity. A prototype insitu sensing system will be constructed with sample collection, filtration, cell lysis, RNA extraction/purification/concentration gene amplification, and data transmission capabilities onboard. The system will be designed for multi-day deployment in lakes and equipped with the ability to detect two common classes of freshwater bacteria. The award will have significant broader impacts through undergraduate, graduate, and minority training.
