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Ultrasensitive Detection of Biomarkers by Using a Molecular Imprinting Based Capacitive Biosensor
Published on: February 16, 2018
A Metamaterial Buckling-Assisted Surface-Acoustic-Wave Enabled Sensor (mBASES) for Versatile and Ultrasensitive
Xin Li1,2, Xiaofei Ju2,3, Wenxi Zhou4
1Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing Technology and Advanced Medical Instrument, College of Biomedical Engineering & Instrument Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P. R. China.
This study introduces a novel biosensor (mBASES) that uses hydrogel metamaterials and acoustic waves for sensitive, label-free detection of biomolecules. It amplifies physical signals, not molecular targets, enabling rapid diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Biomaterials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Biosensing
Background:
- Hydrogel metamaterials can link molecular recognition to mechanical changes.
- Transducing weak biomolecular signals without amplification is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop a biosensor for efficient transduction of biomolecular binding events.
- Achieve sensitive, label-free detection of various biomolecules.
Main Methods:
- Integrated bio-crosslinked hydrogel metamaterials with a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device.
- Utilized a structure-triggered physical amplification mechanism (mBASES).
- Engineered hydrogel swelling to match metamaterial buckling thresholds for signal amplification.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated femtomolar-level detection of proteins, nucleic acids, and metabolites.
- Achieved rapid (5-15 min) detection of Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) IgG and DNA in human serum.
- mBASES platform links molecular recognition, hydrogel deformation, structural amplification, and acoustic readout.
Conclusions:
- mBASES provides a versatile biosensing strategy by amplifying the transduction process.
- The platform shows promise for point-of-care diagnostics.
- Enables rapid, label-free detection across diverse biomolecular classes.
