Development of Electrochemical Lateral Flow Assay (eLFA) for Early-Stage Breast Cancer Detection

• Grant number: 25/01960-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: February 02, 2026
• End date: February 01, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Analytical Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Lucio Angnes
• Grantee: Vanessa Neiva de Ataide
• Supervisor: Arben Merkoci
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/01723-8 - 3D printed electrochemical biosensors modified with nanostructured metal oxides generated from CO2 laser ablation, BP.PD

Abstract

Point-of-care (POC) devices are increasingly desirable in a society that faces a burden on the healthcare system and a lack of access to such care, especially in underdeveloped countries. Thus, the development of accessible technologies that can contribute to alleviating this burden and making rapid tests, ranging from disease diagnosis to water and food quality, are of great importance. In this scenario, this project proposes to develop rapid paper-based tests for early-stage detection of breast cancer. The analytical devices combine the lateral flow assay (LFA), which is well-known as a low-cost test, and electrochemical detection (by integrating printed electrodes into the LFA). The main goal of employing electrochemical detection is to increase the sensitivity of LFAs and expand their applications. The eLFAs (electrochemical lateral flux assay) will be fabricated using a paper substrate, and the electrodes will be printed with gold ink using an inkjet printer. Initially, the device's layout will be evaluated, and the position of the integrated electrodes will be studied. The nitrocellulose membrane will be modified with the bioreagents in a reproducible manner using an automatic dispenser. Another critical point to be evaluated is the pore size of different nitrocellulose membranes since they affect the flow and delivery of the reagents for binding to occur. The printed gold electrodes will be assembled with anti-miRNA biomolecules functionalized with SH groups and labeled with methylene blue, the redox probe. The detection of the target molecule, the miRNA, will be based on the signal off; that is, in the presence of the analyte, the measured signal (in this case, the current signal) will decrease. Blood samples will be analyzed using the eLFAs developed in this project.