US-Germany Cooperative Research: International: Probabilistic Cue Integration of Multimodal Sensor Data in Biologically Inspired Machine Vision Systems

University Of California-San Diego, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Abstract

0233810 Heineman This dissertation enhancement award supports a graduate student from William Heineman's lab at the University of Cincinnati during here two-month tenure in the lab of Gunther Wittstock in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Oldenburg, Germany. The goal of the research is to develop an ultrasensitive and miniaturized immunoassy applicable to clinical diagnostics and detection of biowarfare agents. The goal will be met using scanning electrochemical microscopy in to perform and detect the immunoassay. Using microbeads as a mobile solid phase for immounoassay increases the surface area to volume ratio, since they can be dispersed without solution, which minimizes diffusion distances. This research could lead to new technologies for high-density chip-based testing systems and could benefit in the detection of biowarfare agents such as toxins, bacteria, spores, and viruses. The project also has a clear educational objective. The project will allow a graduate student to benefit from performing research in another country. She will develop a heightened appreciation of the world while also learning important new technical skills.