Mentor(s):

Avelina Espinosa, Biology, Roger Williams University, Allison Marn, Engineering, Roger Williams University, Jennifer Pearce, Physics & Mathematics, Roger Williams University

Project Location

Roger Williams University

Project Description

Narragansett Bay and its associated rivers provide spawning ground, nursery, and habitat for more than 60 species of fish and shellfish. Disease-causing bacteria, viruses, fungi, or protists affect the ecology and economy of marine communities and their habitats. Mollusk disease-causing protists such as Perkinsus marinus, Haplosporidium nelson, H. costale, Bonamia ostreae and Mucochytrium quahogii (QPX) have a potentially fatal impact on marine species, and detection can provide information on disease distribution and abundance. Current detection and identification methods include histopathology, molecular (e.g., protein-based, PCR variants) or biosensing (bio-transducer) methods. Electrochemical biosensing of pathogenic bacteria and viruses is in progress, while the technology for detection of marine pathogenic protists is incipient. Electrochemical biosensing platforms are comprised of a recognizable biological element (e.g., oligonucleotides, proteins, antibodies) immobilized on a transducer surface, which upon binding to an infective agent, converts the interaction into a measurable signal. No nucleic acid-based biosensors (genosensors) have been reported, despite their potential low cost and high stability advantages.

An interdisciplinary team led by Avelina Espinosa (molecular microbiology, parasitology), Allison Marn (electrosensing, engineering), and Jennifer Pearce (physics, DNA-based microfluidic devices) has the expertise to combine transducers (planar, polymers, wires/fibers, nanostructures, arrays), electrochemical signals (impedance sensing), and platforms (paper-, flow-, droplet- based) to develop electrochemical genosensor devices. The purpose is to design genosensors that are portable, disposable, easy-to-use for specimen collection, environmentally friendly, affordable, sensitive, specific, rapid, and equipment-free for the detection of shellfish protistan parasites. Samples of diseased mollusks will be obtained from the RWU wetlab.

Hi: Genosensors are effective for the detection of Perkinsus marinus, Haplosporidium nelson, H. costale, Bonamia ostreae and Mucochytrium quahogii (QPX) in mollusks.
Hi: No, genosensors are not effective for the detection of Perkinsus marinus, Haplosporidium nelson, H. costale, Bonamia ostreae and Mucochytrium quahogii (QPX) in mollusks.

b). Goals / expectations: Develop electrochemical genosensors for mollusk disease-causing protists Perkinsus marinus, Haplosporidium nelson, H. costale. 2) Test efficacy of electrochemical genosensors directly with parasite cells or genomic samples. Similar genosensors could be adapted to other shellfish or fish (Dermocystidium, Rhinosporidium, IACUC approvals will be submitted prior to working with fish) protistan parasites and environmental samples in future efforts. We plan to include three students, one per discipline (molecular biology, engineering, and physics) that will be trained and work in a team of three faculty and three students during Summer 2024 and beyond.

c) Specific task for SURF student will be involved. Participate in team-training early in the summer (late May, early June). The team of three students will be trained in alternate schedules with each faculty. Espinosa will train students on identifying the parasite’s oligonucleotide sequences (PCR or antibody-based studies). Marn and Pearce will train students on developing pilot devices for testing one of the parasites. The summer students will have weekly lab meetings to discuss literature and experimental design. We expect to have a pilot set of devices for 1-2 parasitic protists late in the summer to continue in the fall with the same team.

This project involves lab and computational work

Required/Preferred skills

STEM major.Interdisciplinary interest in biology, physics preferred. Molecular, lab experience preferred.

Will the project require transportation to field sites? No

Is this project open to Surf Flex? No

In which core facilities might student conduct research? RI Center for Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, RI Genomics & Sequencing Center

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