Integration of Electrolyte-Gated Transistors into Lateral Flow Platforms via Laser-Induced Graphene for Point of Care Biosensors

• Grant number: 25/11897-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Principal Investigator: Rafael Furlan de Oliveira
• Grantee: Ana Vitória Ferreira Deleigo
• Supervisor: Arben Merkoci
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/01961-9 - Functionalized graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO): Effect on the AC and DC electrical transduction of bio-interactions, BP.MS

Abstract

Broad access to diagnostic methods is critical for early intervention and effective management of diseases. The development of portable, low-cost, fast, and highly sensitive point-of-care biosensing technologies represents a powerful solution for ensuring timely and accessible disease diagnosis. One of the most successful commercial POC technologies is the so-called lateral flow assay (LFA). The performance and versatility of LFAs can be enhanced through approaches such as the incorporation of nanomaterials and the use of advanced analytical methods. In this sense, here we propose the development of a new LFA based on a new signal transduction technology based on electrolyte-gated transistors (EGTs) made of graphene-related materials. EGTs allow electronic signal transduction at high sensitivity and low voltages (< 1V) thanks to the device's amplification ability and inherent operation in aqueous media. To develop LFAEGTs we will employ an integrative fabrication technique named laser-induced graphene (LIG). LIG enables rapid and environmentally friendly patterning and transformation of carbonaceous materials (e.g. paper, plastic, etc.) into graphene-like materials. We will use either the LFA paper stripe or graphene oxide (GO) films as carbonaceous source to create the EGT's electrodes and channel. The goal is to develop an all-graphene-related EGT capable of being used as an electronic transducer in LFA-based POC diagnostic devices. We expect that using EGTs as transducers in LFA-based technologies can enhance the method's sensitivity and accuracy in biosensing applications, while adding characteristics such as disposability, low cost, and ease of use. This project aims to bring together the expertise of the Brazilian Group on EGTs devices and the Nanobioelectronics & Biosensors Group (ICN2, Barcelona) on LIG and LFA-based biosensors and has the potential to revolutionize LFA-based diagnostic technologies. (AU)