Project Introduction
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In this project, we aim to establish a wash-free, rapid, and multiplexed
immunoassay and a new signal readout method that can perform bio-marker analysis for clinical diagnostics. The optical force transducer is consist of a bare fiber (without coating and majority of cladding) with nanostring, which is used to attach cells, and a laser source. For visualizing the forces, we utilize evanescent field, which occurs at the interface between core and cladding of the fiber during the total internal reflection. The evanescent field can react with the cells to emit light, whose intensity can be used to determine the force. |
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The novelty of the works lies in two facts:
i) the coupling of the fiber waveguide and surface plasmon resonance modes for the selective detection of nanoparticles, and
ii) the rapid and multiplexed immunoassay for the analysis of biomarkers without any washing step. The transformative aspect of this project is to provide insights and evidence into the wash-free biosensor technology, which would make diagnostic tests more accessible to patients.
i) the coupling of the fiber waveguide and surface plasmon resonance modes for the selective detection of nanoparticles, and
ii) the rapid and multiplexed immunoassay for the analysis of biomarkers without any washing step. The transformative aspect of this project is to provide insights and evidence into the wash-free biosensor technology, which would make diagnostic tests more accessible to patients.
Characteristic of our project:
• Signal is robust and strong.
The sensor relies on the scattered light by metal nano-particles to interrogate the concentration of a target biomarker. In contrast to fluorescent dyes, the scattering of nano-particles is immune to photo-bleaching and can be measured without using emission and excitation filters. In addition, the LSPR mode of the metal nano-particle can be utilized to enhance the signal strength.
• Sensor system is inexpensive and miniaturizable.
Proposed fiber sensors can be prepared and functionalized by dipping the exposed fiber cores in reagent and buffer solutions sequentially. This fabrication process can be easily scaled up. The readout system, consisting of a fiber-coupled light source, a fiber mount, a polarizer, and a CCD camera, can be integrated as a portable system with no loss of sensitivity.
• Analysis is easily multiplexed.
The proposed biosensor is ideal for measuring multiple biomarkers simultaneously. The fiber surface can be divided into spatially separated detection zones, which will be functionalized with different ligands. During a test, the incident light will pass through the fiber, and the scattered images from all the detection zones will be acquired.
• Signal is robust and strong.
The sensor relies on the scattered light by metal nano-particles to interrogate the concentration of a target biomarker. In contrast to fluorescent dyes, the scattering of nano-particles is immune to photo-bleaching and can be measured without using emission and excitation filters. In addition, the LSPR mode of the metal nano-particle can be utilized to enhance the signal strength.
• Sensor system is inexpensive and miniaturizable.
Proposed fiber sensors can be prepared and functionalized by dipping the exposed fiber cores in reagent and buffer solutions sequentially. This fabrication process can be easily scaled up. The readout system, consisting of a fiber-coupled light source, a fiber mount, a polarizer, and a CCD camera, can be integrated as a portable system with no loss of sensitivity.
• Analysis is easily multiplexed.
The proposed biosensor is ideal for measuring multiple biomarkers simultaneously. The fiber surface can be divided into spatially separated detection zones, which will be functionalized with different ligands. During a test, the incident light will pass through the fiber, and the scattered images from all the detection zones will be acquired.