CRP detection from serum for chip-based point-of-care testing system

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Clinical Chemistry

Background:

• Point-of-care testing (POCT) is crucial for rapid patient diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring.
• Existing POCT methods require improvement in quantitative and accurate detection capabilities.
• C-reactive protein (CRP) is a key biomarker for inflammation and cardiovascular risk.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a chip-based POCT application for detecting human C-reactive protein (CRP) in serum.
• To evaluate the performance of a nanogap-embedded field-effect transistor (FET) biosensor for CRP detection.
• To compare the biosensor's performance against the established enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a silicon-based biosensor featuring a nanogap-embedded field-effect transistor (FET).
• Detection of human CRP in serum samples using the developed FET biosensor.
• Comparative analysis of biosensor results with those obtained from commercial ELISA kits.

Main Results:

• The FET biosensor achieved a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.1 ng/ml for CRP, comparable to commercial ELISAs.
• An enhanced detection range of 0.1 ng/ml to 100 ng/ml was demonstrated.
• Control experiments confirmed the biosensor's selectivity and low false-positive/false-negative rates.

Conclusions:

• This study presents the first report of CRP detection in human serum using a silicon-based FET biosensor.
• The developed POCT offers a sensitive, accurate, and potentially cost-effective alternative for CRP quantification.
• The nanogap-embedded FET biosensor shows significant promise for advanced point-of-care diagnostic applications.