July / August, 2004
Biosensor Research Program –
Summary
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Michigan State University
A Biosensor is a state-of-the-art device that measures electronic signals. The long-term goal of our biosensor research program is to develop technologies that are characterized by high-throughput, real-time, high sensitivity, high specificity, quantitative, reagentless, onsite, and simultaneous detection of select disease-causing agents of concern to homeland security, food safety, and environmental integrity.
By definition, a biosensor is an analytical device that incorporates a biological receptor in close proximity to a physicochemical transducer, which converts the binding event between the receptor and the target analyte into a measurable electronic signal. The long-term goal of our biosensor research program is to develop enabling biosensing technologies that are characterized by high-throughput, real-time, high sensitivity, high specificity, quantitative, reagentless, onsite, and simultaneous detection of select disease-causing agents of concern to homeland security, food safety, and environmental integrity. We use state-of-the-art knowledge in microfabrication and nanotechnologies in the design and fabrication of these devices. Of special interest is the utilization of novel organic electro-conductive polymer materials that can be used as molecular nano-wires and nano-transducers. Resulting devices are lightweight, low cost, and have low power requirement.
Our current architectures include:
1. PCR-less label-free DNA biosensorsa. Transducers: platinum, porous silicon, and polylyrrole as nano-wires
b. Biological receptors: DNA probes
c. Signal measurement: voltage vs current
2. Immunosensors
a. Transducers: silicon, gold, and polyaniline as nano-wires
b. Biological receptors: antibodies
c. Signal measurement: voltage vs current, resistance3. Biomimetic sensors
a. Transducers: silicon and indium tin oxide
b. Biological receptors: plastic antibodies
c. Signal measurement: voltage vs current4. Enzyme-based biosensors
a. Transducer: dioxetane substrate
b. Biological reporter: galactosidase enzyme
c. Signal measurement: chemiluminescence
Our best biosensor performance to date include:
1. Speed: Detection time is 6 min from sample application to result.
2. Reagentless: All reagents are already in the biosensor device.
3. Sensitivity: Lower limit of detection is 101-102 colony forming units (CFU) per ml for bacteria, 103cell culture infective dose (CCID) per ml for virus.
4. Specificity: Highly specific
Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering
Michigan State University
A.W. Farrall Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1323
(517) 355-4720
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August 17, 2004
