NSF Award
1118356
The Analytical and Surface Chemistry (ASC) Program of the Division of Chemistry will support the CAREER development plan of Prof. Sapna Deo of Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI). Prof. Deo's integrated research and education program focuses on the development of bioanalytical detection methods that are rapid, highly sensitive, have low background, and require no separation step to detect nucleic acid targets in a variety of matrices including cells, clinical samples and environmental samples. Prof. Deo and her students will develop a highly sensitive one-step hybridization-based detection method for target RNAs based on Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET) from the enzyme Renilla luciferase (hRluc) to a quantum dot (QD). The research of Prof. Deo will provide excellent training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students, and postdoctoral research associates in a highly multidisciplinary area at the forefront of scientific research. Prof. Deo will integrate her research project with an on-going educational effort to increase involvement of high school students and teachers in bioanalytical research.
