Mission
Much of what is currently known about living cells and tissue is derived from biochemical laboratory techniques that are several decades old, such as the different chromatographic technologies, spectroscopic methods, and enzymatic assays. The volumes of specimen required by these techniques are typically much greater than the volume of a single cell, or than the volumes affected by activities of a single cell. Thus, information about heterogeneity of even the same type of cells is lost in conventional experimental schemes due to averaging. Besides this averaging effect, relatively large sample volumes also have a “damping” effect on the measured variables. Thus, the frequency content of cellular processes is severely truncated, and as a consequence, essential information about cellular dynamics is also lost. Therefore, a great deal of effort is being devoted in many a laboratory in the US and elsewhere to overcome these limitations by new experimental approaches that are geared towards much smaller sample volumes and faster measurement techniques.
Our Laboratory for Biomedical Sensing is well positioned to play a significant role in this endeavor in several fronts. Since 1990 we have pioneered a number of novel approaches, both experimental and computational, that address, low volume, high throughput experimentation and diagnostics. The resulting new research tools, experimental schemes, and methodologies are now available for use in solving problems that require high spatio-temporal resolution. An example is Diffusional Microtitration for the analysis of samples of microliter (µL) through nano-, pico- and femtoliter (fL) volumes; the fL range refers to volumes smaller than single biological cells. We have invented the Diffusional Microburet (DMB) that, based on simple principles of mass transport on the micrometer scale, can be used to achieve precise reagent addition to (and subtraction of molecules from) microscopic solution domains, such as living cells. Microscopic electrochemical measurement methodologies and advanced optical detection techniques for very small domains have also been devised and successfully tested. Recently, a novel mathematical approach to deconvolution and other problematic numerical operations has been devised in the Laboratory for Biomedical Sensing that greatly enhances the quantitative value of experimental data in the above studies.
These, and several other advances unique to our laboratory, are now fully developed and characterized, and applicable to a number of problem areas within biomedical science and engineering.
The primary goal of research in the Laboratory for Biomedical Sensing is to apply the aforementioned methodologies to systematically address the following important biomedical problems using non-conventional approaches: multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer, cell transport and communication in geometrically well defined cellular preparations (cell patterns), body fluid diagnostics in microliter volumes, and in vivo monitoring with minimally invasive technology and optical telemetry.
The secondary goal is to systematically expand the use of the new platforms unique to the Laboratory for Biomedical Sensing to new application areas where such approaches are needed but lacking. Additional areas identified where our techniques can be applied are industrial and environmental testing and diagnostics, and general laboratory applications.
The educational research experience in the lab also covers a full spectrum of activities, from the exploration of existing biomedical problems to new ideas, academic research, and engineering development and design, with the ultimate aim of improving the understanding of the studied biomedical problems and related health care.
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