NFC Smartphone-Based Electrochemical Microfluidic Device Integrated with Nanobody Recognition for C-Reactive Protein

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Biosensor Technology
• Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Background:

• Conventional IgG antibodies in biosensors limit sensitivity and stability for point-of-care testing (POCT).
• Nanobodies offer improved characteristics for electrochemical biosensor development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel electrochemical biosensor using nanobodies and near-field communication (NFC) technology.
• To detect C-reactive protein (CRP) as a model inflammation biomarker using a flow-through microfluidic system.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of electrochemical biosensors utilizing nanobodies as biorecognition elements.
• Integration of a flow-through microfluidic device for automated capillary-driven sample transport.
• Detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) and comparison of NFC-based potentiostats with commercial devices.
• Validation of sensor reliability using artificial serum, plasma, and whole blood samples.

Main Results:

• The developed nanobody-based electrochemical biosensors demonstrated high sensitivity and portability.
• The system enabled automated sequential flow without external pumps.
• Accurate quantitative analysis of CRP was achieved and compared between different potentiostats.
• The sensor showed reliable performance across various biological sample types without pretreatment.

Conclusions:

• Nanobody-based electrochemical biosensors integrated with NFC technology offer a promising platform for advanced POCT.
• This approach streamlines POCT development by combining simplicity, low cost, rapid analysis, and portability for biomarker detection.