I-Corps: Interferometric Imaging for Multiplexed Molecular Kinetics

Award ID: 2027109

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is to explore translation of a sensor for better diagnostics and therapeutics. The proposed technology can be created at low cost, enabling an instrument that integrates parallel sensors for a high-throughput system. This I-Corps project explores applications for the Interferometric Reflectance Imaging Sensor (IRIS), a label-free detection (LFD) system. The proposed system uses optical biosensors in multiplexed imaging detection of molecular binding kinetics on Si-based microfluidic chips as low-cost consumables. Hundreds of capture probes can be arrayed on the IRIS chip and tested against a target molecule in parallel. The proposed system addresses needs for multiplexed and robust small molecule affinity measurements, which can enable the discovery of new ligands for detection and monitoring of small molecules for compact sensors. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

NSF Program Director: Ruth Shuman