Capacitive Diagnostic Devices for Medical Applications

• Grant number: 15/23241-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: January 03, 2017
• End date: January 02, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Roberto Bueno
• Grantee: Paulo Roberto Bueno
• Host Investigator: Jason John Davis
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Oxford, England
• Associated research grant: 12/22820-7 - The sensitive label free detection of disease markers using electrochemical immittance, AP.TEM

Abstract

The detection and quantification of protein biomarkers in complex biological samples lies central to proteomics, drug design, early clinical diagnosis and effective therapeutic application. The generation of viable protein microarrays is, though, challenging. Current antibody based optical microarrays are commonly based on sandwich assays in which antigen binding to the immobilised antibody is detected through the use of a secondary, labelled, antibody. Though sensitive, this approach is laborious and requires a specifically-labelled secondary antibody for every antigen of interest. In order to reach higher levels of sensitivity and to move to a detection format which is both potentially cheap, portable and multiplexable, label free electrical detection methods, such as capacitance and impedance (Faradaic and Non Faradaic) are exceedingly powerful. Assays are generated by controllably immobilizing receptive biomolecules (typically antibodies, nucleic acids or peptides) on electrodes and converting the target protein binding event into a measureable electrical signal. One of the most sensitive and powerful means of doing this is by impedance/capacitance spectroscopy as proposed by our group and partners from University of Oxford in UK. The purpose project is focused on the applications of the developed and patented technology for clinical relevant problems aiming an effective product development with startup company based in UK and with subsidiary in São Paulo State, Brazil.