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Nanostructured surfaces for enhanced protein detection toward clinical diagnostics
Vindhya Kunduru1, Manish Bothara, Jason Grosch
1Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, Center for Solid State Electronics Research, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
Nanomedicine : Nanotechnology, Biology, and Medicine
|April 1, 2010
Summary
Nanotechnology enhances cardiovascular disease detection. Micro- and nanotextured sensors show that nanoscale features improve signal strength for detecting inflammatory biomarkers linked to plaque rupture.
Area of Science:
- Biomolecular engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Cardiovascular diagnostics
Background:
- Vulnerable coronary vascular plaque rupture is a critical concern in cardiovascular disease.
- Current detection methods require improvement in sensitivity and specificity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and fabricate novel "label-free" biomolecule sensors for detecting inflammatory cardiovascular biomarkers.
- To investigate the impact of micro- vs. nanoscale texturing on sensor performance.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of micro- and nanotextured polystyrene (PS) polymer structures as sensing elements.
- Coupling of PS structures with electronic measurement equipment for signal detection.
- Comparative analysis of PS microsphere mats and electrospun PS nanofiber matrices.
Main Results:
- Scaling surface texturing from micro- to nanoscale significantly enhances detected signal strength.
- Nanoscale fiber morphology facilitates optimal trapping and immobilization of protein biomolecules.
- Successful detection of human serum C-reactive protein using the developed PS nanofiber sensor.
Conclusions:
- Nanoscale texturing of polymer surfaces is crucial for improving the sensitivity of label-free biomolecule sensors.
- The developed platform shows promise for a "lab-on-a-chip" sensor for cardiovascular biomarker detection.
- This nanotechnology-based approach offers a sensitive method for identifying risks associated with vulnerable plaque rupture.
