Kristen Dostie

Ph.D. Student

MCB

The focus of my current research is to develop a novel dual-mode optical microarray platform that utilizes the phenomena of both grating-coupled surface plasmon resonance (GCSPR) and grating-coupled surface plasmon-coupled emissions (GSCPCE) which can be used for a wide spectrum of research and potential clinical applications. Specifically, I am currently optimizing protocols for two types of applications.

The first application involves using GCSPR/GCSPCE to develop an assay to detect an array of small environmental toxicants and macromolecular bacterial toxins. Unlike traditionally used SPR assays, the GCSPR/GCSPCE microarray platform allows the detection of up to 1,000 analytes simultaneously from a small volume (<1 ml) of a single biological sample, making it both economical and time-efficient. My near-future goal is to optimize the sensitivity and dynamic range of detection of this technology using small molecules such as carcinogenic nicotine-derived ketone (NNK) and the superantigen Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB). A potential downstream application of this technology is to test biological samples for an array of common toxins and toxicants to assess levels of exposure.

I, along with Sadikshya Bhandari, am also developing a protocol to use GCSPR/GCSPCE to characterize the phenotypes of autoreactive CD4+T cell populations responsible for destruction of insulin-producing β cells of the pancreas. To do this, we are using a non-obese diabetes murine model to collect blood samples at various time points and isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Our goal is to capture auto-reactive T cells from a mixed cell population onto a sensor chip and assess their functional phenotype according to the cytokines they secrete. This can allow us to use peripheral blood samples to assess autoimmune destruction of the pancreas before the onset of clinical symptoms of T1D.