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Author Spotlight: Engineering Molecular Tools for Disease Detection and Imaging
Published on: December 8, 2023
Multiple biomarkers biosensor with just-in-time functionalization: Application to prostate cancer detection
C Parra-Cabrera1, J Samitier1, A Homs-Corbera1
1Nanobioengineering Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Spain; Department of Electronics, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
A new lab-on-a-chip device enables simultaneous detection of multiple biomarkers like prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and spondin-2 for prostate cancer screening. This novel biosensor offers tunable sensitivity and simplifies reagent storage for mass fabrication.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Analytical Chemistry
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Current prostate cancer (PCa) diagnostics, primarily prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, face limitations in specificity and controversy.
- There is a need for more accurate and reliable diagnostic tools, particularly for early-stage cancer detection.
- Multiplex biomarker detection offers a promising approach to improve diagnostic accuracy by combining multiple indicators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a novel lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device for simultaneous detection of multiple disease biomarkers.
- To demonstrate the system's capability in quantifying prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and spondin-2 (SPON2) for prostate cancer screening.
- To establish the tunability of sensitivity, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ) based on sample volume.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a novel lab-on-a-chip (LOC) device.
- In-situ biosensor functionalization immediately prior to use.
- Simultaneous detection of biomarkers using simple voltage measurements.
- Adjustment of detection ranges for PSA and SPON2 to clinically relevant levels (1-10 ng/ml).
Main Results:
- The LOC device successfully enabled simultaneous detection of multiple biomarkers.
- The system demonstrated tunable sensitivity, LOD, and LOQ based on in-chip sample volumes.
- Proof-of-concept validation for quantifying PSA and SPON2 in a clinically relevant range for prostate cancer screening.
- Specificity testing confirmed accurate detection of the evaluated biomarkers.
Conclusions:
- The developed LOC device offers a novel platform for simultaneous, voltage-based multiplex biomarker detection.
- In-situ functionalization enhances reagent storage and facilitates massive device fabrication.
- The system shows potential as an improved screening tool for prostate cancer by combining PSA and SPON2, with adaptability for other diseases.
