** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** GETTING SICK FROM EATING CONTAMINATED FOOD IS A RISK WE ALL FACE. ILLNESSES CAUSED BY BACTERIA IN OUR FOOD ARE BECOMING A BIG HEALTH AND ECONOMIC PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES. AS THESE BACTERIA BECOME RESISTANT TO ANTIBIOTICS, DETECTING AND TREATING THE ILLNESSES THEY CAUSE ARE GETTING EVEN HARDER. CURRENTLY, THE BEST WAYS TO DETECT THESE ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA IN FOOD ARE THROUGH SLOW METHODS LIKE CULTURING AND PCR (POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION). WHILE ACCURATE, THESE METHODS TAKE A LONG TIME AND REQUIRE TRAINED EXPERTS TO OPERATE. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO CREATE A SMALL, PORTABLE DEVICE CALLED THE NANOPHOTONIC-CRISPR CHIP (NPC-CHIP) THAT CAN QUICKLY AND ACCURATELY DETECT ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA IN FOOD. NO EXPERT OR LAB IS NEEDED. THE NPC-CHIP COMBINES LIGHT AND CRISPR TECHNOLOGIES INTO ONE TINY CHIP. NON-EXPERT USERS CAN EASILY CARRY AND USE IT TO IDENTIFY THE CONTAMINATION IN FOOD. IN THIS PROJECT, THE CHIP PERFORMANCE WILL BE TESTED IN MILK SAMPLES. IF SUCCESSFUL, THIS FAST, SENSITIVE, AND PORTABLE NPC-CHIP CAN HELP CONTROL THE SPREAD OF DISEASE-CAUSING BACTERIA IN OUR FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN AND REDUCE THE OVERUSE OF ANTIBIOTICS, CRUCIAL FOR FOOD SAFETY AND PUBLIC HEALTH.?