Development of SPR Phase Imaging and SPR Diffraction Methods for Ultrasensitive Microarray Biosensing

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The Chemical Measurement and Imaging program (CMI) of the Division of Chemistry supports Professor Robert M. Corn and his group at the University of California-Irvine to develop new instrumentation and methodologies for the label-free detection of biologically relevant molecules at very low concentrations. Specifically, two new optical biosensing techniques are being developed: surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phase imaging and optical diffraction methods from nanowire arrays, nanogaps, and nanostructured interfaces. These two new detection methods use the inherent refractive index of biomolecules as they bind to biosensor surfaces, and require both the implementation of high fidelity surface chemistries for the fabrication of well-characterized bioactive nanostructured surfaces, and the creation of novel optical detection techniques such and SPR-enhanced phase gratings and optical diffraction. These biosensor surfaces will be used in conjunction with microfluidic microarrays to create a multiplexed biosensor format to detect and identify minute quantities of multiple DNAs, RNAs, and proteins at concentrations relevant for many biomedical applications such as discovery of new cancer and cardiac biomarkers.The development of low cost, easy-to-use biosensors is a key to improving health. The refractive index-based methods being developed by Prof. Corn may offer fast, simple, and relatively inexpensive multiplexed bioassays. The research impacts the education of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, including members of underrepresented groups, across a variety of related scientific disciplines including biomedical engineering, genomics, and materials science. Undergraduates and high school students who participate in this research are introduced to scientific research as a means to create a better world, and will become aware of how low-cost biosensing can impact community health both locally and globally.