| Affiliations: | |
| Project Leader: | MinGin Kim hellingford@tamu.edu Chemical Engineering |
| Faculty Mentor: | Victor Ugaz, Ph.D |
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Meeting Times:
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Friday, 2pm – 3pm |
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Team Size:
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6 |
| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Becoming full member of research group, research presentation, possibility of co-authorship
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Team Needs:
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Skills: Time-management, organization, motivation, consistent commitment, ability to work as a team Preferred skills/abilities: Basic knowledge biology, any experience in using a pipette, MATLAB or any coding to develop an image analysis platform |
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Description:
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Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and its variants (e.g., reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR)) are analytical gold standards in molecular biology and diagnostics. Making PCR-based analysis available at the point of need (PON) would significantly enhance global health by democratizing the availability of advanced diagnostic technologies. Thermal convection enables rapid nucleic acid testing via PCR to be implemented in a simple portable instrument format. This project focuses on developing a PCR system based on Rayleigh–Bénard Convection (RB-PCR) that can be commercialized and distributed anywhere around the globe to promote global health. By joining this team, you will learn basic biomolecular diagnostic techniques including conventional PCR, gel electrophoresis, fluorescence imaging, as well as basic mechanical fabrication methods. You will also have the opportunity to develop an image analysis platform using a coding language of your choice. In this team, you will learn scientific data analysis, critical thinking, and how to present your data |