Detection of Interleukin-6 Protein Using Graphene Field-Effect Transistor

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Biomolecular Engineering
• Biosensing

Background:

• Field-effect transistors (FETs) are crucial for biomolecule sensing via charge probing.
• Graphene Field-Effect Transistors (GFETs) show promise for detecting biomarkers like DNA, pH, and proteins.
• External reference electrodes in current GFETs cause sample damage and time delays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a GFET with an inbuilt gate for efficient biomolecule detection.
• To create a sensitive biosensor for Interleukin-6 (IL-6) protein detection.
• To overcome limitations of external probing methods in GFET-based biosensing.

Main Methods:

• Monolayer graphene exfoliation and GFET fabrication with an integrated gate.
• Desiccation of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) protein onto the GFET device.
• Measurement of transfer characteristics and Dirac point shift to evaluate performance.

Main Results:

• The developed GFET demonstrated a conductive and electrical response to IL-6 protein.
• The integrated gate design effectively measured biomolecule interactions.
• Dirac point shifting analysis confirmed device sensitivity and performance.

Conclusions:

• The graphene-based transducer with an inbuilt gate is a promising platform for biosensors.
• This technology enables low-cost, compact, facile, and real-time amperometric sensing of IL-6.
• The developed sensor has potential applications in cancer diagnostics and other IL-6-related conditions.