Development of Optofluidic Resonators for Filoviral Detection

Project Summary/Abstract This proposal describes a 4-year career development plan for the PI, Dr. Abraham J. Qavi, MD, PhD, with the goal of preparing him for an independent research career as a physician scientist. This plan includes expand training opportunities and a pathway to an independent career that includes the development and implementation of sensor technologies and its application towards filoviruses, namely Ebola. The PI graduated with degrees in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Chemistry from the University of California, Irvine. He then enrolled in the Medical Scholars Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned his MD and PhD in Chemistry. Dr. Qavi continued his medical training as part of the Clinical Pathology Physician Scientist Training Program at Washington University in St. Louis and the Barnes-Jewish Hospital consortium. During his residency elective time, he began research in the laboratory of Dr. Lan Yang, who will serve as his co-mentor together with Dr. Amarasinghe. Dr. Yang is the Edwin H. and Florence G. Skinner Professor of Electrical & Systems Engineering, and an internationally renowned researcher in photonics. In 2019, Dr. Qavi added an additional training component under the co-mentorship with Dr. Gaya Amarasinghe, Professor of Pathology & Immunology, to expand the application of his previously developed sensor technology to infectious disease reach. The goal of this study is the development of a rapid, multiplexed optofluidic sensor platform for the rapid detection of pathogens, with an initial focus on Ebola. Filoviruses, such as Ebola, are among the most lethal human pathogens, with high case fatality rates during outbreaks. Critical in the identification and management of outbreaks are robust detection methods that can be implemented rapidly and sensitively. To address this critical need, Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) sensors will be leveraged. WGM devices are a class of optical sensors in which light is confined within a micron-scale volume. These devices have incredibly high sensitivity, small sensor footprint, ease of integration with conventional electronics, and low fabrication costs. Microbubble resonators (MBRs), a subclass of WGM sensors, offer the advantages of conventional WGM devices while enabling coupling of optical and the fluidic components into a single component. The goal of this proposal is the use of an optofluidic sensor platform based on MBRs for the rapid, multiplexed detection of Ebola. The workflow and advancements, including MBR development, engineered antibodies, biophysical validation and multiplexing, will provide the framework to extend the work beyond the initial goals and promote facile transition to an independent career for Dr. Qavi.