Ji-Yen Cheng
Research Center for Applied Sciences, Taiwan
Title: LumiSense - A portable water pollutant monitoring system using whole cell array
Biography
Biography: Ji-Yen Cheng
Abstract
Whole cell sensors have been proposed as a powerful tool to detect class-specific toxicants based upon their biological activity and bioavailability. A whole cell sensor uses live cells as the sensing elements for harmful chemicals. In this talk, I will demonstrate a robust toxicant detection platform based on a whole cell sensor array biochip (LumiChip). LumiChip harbors an integrated temperature control and a 16-member sensor array, as well as a simple but highly efficient lens-free bioluminescence collection setup. On LumiChip, samples are infused in an oxygen-permeable microfluidic flow channel to reach the biosensor array. Time-lapse changes in the bioluminescence emitted by the array members are measured on a single linear charge-coupled device (CCD) commonly used in commercial industrial process control or in barcode readers. Removal of the protective window on the linear CCD allowed lens-free direct interfacing of LumiChip to the CCD surface for high numerical aperture measurement. Bioluminescence induced by simulated contamination events was detected within 15 to 45 minutes. The portable LumiSense system utilizing the linear CCD in combination with the miniaturized Lumichip is a promising potential platform for on-site water pollutant monitoring.
