Jessica Slaughter
MIT Department: Chemical Engineering
Faculty Mentor: Prof. Ariel Furst
Research Supervisor: Cindy Zhou
Undergraduate Institution: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia
Website: LinkedIn
Biography
Jessica Slaughter is a sophomore and Meyerhoff Scholar majoring in Computer Engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Passionate about improving health care globally, her research interests lie in affordable biomedical devices. In the Furst Lab at MIT, Jessica is developing a method to improve the long-term stability of DNA-based biosensors in sub-optimal storage conditions. Additionally, she develops applications for statistically analyzing system-scale dynamic omics data in the MartenLab at UMBC. As an executive member of UMBC’s BMES, IEEE, and NSBE chapters, Jessica is committed to creating communities of acceptance and excellence while connecting students to internships and service opportunities. This passion for service motivates her to volunteer at UMB Cure, a program encouraging inner-city Baltimore K-12 students to pursue careers in STEM. Jessica aspires to pursue a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering to innovate low-cost medical devices incorporating machine learning to improve patient health outcomes globally.
Abstract
Improving the Long-Term Stability of DNA-Based
Electrochemical Biosensors
Jessica Slaughter1,2, Xingcheng Zhou2, Ariel Furst2
1Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland,
Baltimore County
2Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Traditional methods used to clinically diagnose respiratory diseases typically require costly
equipment, extensive training, and lengthy processing times, which limit the accessibility of
medical treatments in low-resource settings. DNA-based electrochemical biosensors are
innovative tools for pathogen detection due to their low cost, high sensitivity, and capability to
perform rapid point-of-care testing. Despite their potential to overcome the economic barrier and redefine diagnostic technology, one major challenge in commercializing these DNA-based
sensors is the stability of the DNA on the electrode in sub-optimal storage conditions. To
facilitate the transition of this technology from a lab setting to its point-of-care application, we
demonstrate that the polymer polyvinyl alcohol can preserve DNA on gold electrodes, extending the DNA’s shelf life for two months when stored dry at room temperature. By improving the stability of electrochemical biosensors, we provide a cost-effective and portable option with prompt yet precise disease detection that can be implemented globally.
