Nigel Reuel, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Iowa State University

One pressing problem for manufacturing cell and protein based therapies are suitable sensors for process monitoring and control.  Desired features are the ability to make measurements real-time, in-line, and without breaking the sterile environment.  The Reuel Group at Iowa State University researches methods of contact free measurement systems in closed environments (bioreactors, soil systems, bandages, etc.).  This is done with transducers that broadcast in frequency bands suitable for water and plastic penetration.  In this talk I will detail our work on 1) optical nanotransducers that fluoresce in the near infrared (900-1000nm) and 2) mesoscale resonators that resonate in the short wave radio frequency band (1-100MHz).  In both cases the transducer is rendered selective to a desired analyte by coating it with a selective agent that either promotes binding or undergoes a conformational change upon interaction.  When the target cell or protein interacts with the sensor surface, there is a frequency modulation that can be monitored from a distance.  The final results of hydrolytic enzyme activity characterization and ion concentration measurement as well as preliminary results for protein and cell binding assays using these two sensors will be presented to demonstrate their potential.   Their utility for media composition, cell viability, and cell potency monitoring will be discussed.

This presentation can be seen via videoconference using BlueJeans:
https://bluejeans.com/435290867