BioMEMS, Bio-Nanotechnology, and Agricultural Research

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BioMEMS, Bio-Nanotechnology, and Agricultural
Research

• Michael R. Ladisch, Rashid Bashir, Arun Bhunia
• Laboratory of Renewable Resources Engineering,
• Departments of ABE, ECE, BME and Food Science
• Schools of Agriculture and Engineering
• Purdue University

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Multi-disciplinary
Engineering
Agriculture
Biotechnology
Science
Medicine
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Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

• Nanoscience
• Fabrication, study and modeling of devices and
  structures where at least one dimension is 200
  nm or smaller.
• Nanotechnology
• Enables devices that are compact, portable,
  energy efficient, integrate sensing, and carry
  out complex functions of a full-scale laboratory
  BioMEMS
• Bio electromechanical systems

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Nanotechnology Size and Scale
100µm
10µm
1µm
Feature Size
100nm
10nm
1nm
0.1nm
Cooper, 2001
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Evolution of Technologies
Cooper, 2001
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Branches of Nanotechnology
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10 mm
Biochip Smaller than a Postage stamp

• sealed channels and wells (volume of
  1 to 10 nL/well)
• electrodes for detection
• connecting pads
• fluidic I/O ports

Bashir et al.
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Role of Biotechnology

• Provides
• Bioreceptors
• Biomarkers (targets)
• Knowledge of mechanisms
• Interfaces macro- and nano-worlds
• Templates for design of small devices

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DNA mRNA Protein
Information
Component for Machine
Polymer of Amino Acids
Information
Assembly Point Disbands
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Opportunities for Research

• Design and Assemble Technology Platform
• Chips
• Receptors
• Bioseparations
• Signal Transduction
• Interface Hardware and Software
• Component Assembly and Packaging

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Technology Issues

• We must know
• Target molecule and its receptor
• Threshhold for detection (sensitivity)
• We must achieve
• Rapid sampling and conditioning
• Specificity for target over biomolecules
• High signal to noise

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The Vision

• Detect Gene Expression Products
• Applications
• Food, Agriculture
• Biosecurity
• Animal Health
• Medicine
• Research, Industry, Hospital, Home

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Applications in Agriculture For Example-What is
the cost of undetected pathogens?

• Food Products
• 13.1 billion in soda pop
• 7.5 billion in breakfast cereals
• 60.0 billion in fresh meats
• Branded meats, precooked products,
• micro-waveable red meats
• Livestock, poultry

Sales figures from Kilman, Wall Street Journal,
Feb 20, 2002
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BioMEMS - Devices and Systems
Combine micro and nano devices with biology at
the molecular level
Implanted Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices
Organs
Implants
Pacemaker
Tissues
Drug Delivery
Drug Delivery
Polymers
Biochips
Bottoms-Up
Nano-bio
Organic/Biological
Inorganic
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Specific Objectives of National Research Program

• 1. Identify systems unique to agriculture
• (cell membranes, starches, cellulose, oils)
• 2. Study biology of self-assembly processes
• 3. Apply to design, fabrication of BioMEMS
• a. Tubes
• b. Channels
• c. Surfaces
• Case studies must be agriculturally related

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Potential Outcomes and Impacts

• Bio-inspired design of inorganic devices
• Methods for mass-producing components for BioMEMS
  through agriculture
• a. A new fiber (cotton?) industry
• b. Self assembling oils
• c. Bio-based materials
• 3. Sampling methods and detection of pathogens

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Research Budget Estimate

• Bio-inspired assembly processes
• 1 million / year
• Methods for assembling nano-components into
  micro-devices 1 million /year
• Applications testing in the field
• 1 million / year