Microneedle Array Based Optical Biosensors for Minimally-Invasive Skin Cancer Diagnostics

该研究项目的总体目标是开发一种微创生物传感设备，该设备将作为皮肤黑色素瘤的即时诊断和纵向监测工具。更具体地说，目的是制定一个微针刺平台，这将使体内采样和针上定量的目标生物标志物在组织液（ISF）耦合光学生物传感方法。所建议的平台的基本原理依赖于具有合适的生物识别元件的微针的功能化，所述生物识别元件可以穿透皮肤上层，贴片贴附在皮肤上，并选择性地捕获ISF中的生物标志物，然后进行原位分析。最后，采用离体测定导致间质液中生物标志物浓度的定量，并与诊断结论相关。建议的工具的开发将使临床医生能够应对诊断领域当前的挑战。所采用的材料和进行的测定的特征在于低成本、可用性，并且由于它们的小尺寸、紧凑性和便携性。此外，由于平台的微针不会到达皮肤的神经元，因此消除了患者的不便和伴随活检的副作用。此外，生物传感器提供快速的诊断时间以及高灵敏度和选择性。

The general objective of the research project is the development of a minimally invasive biosensing device that will serve as a point-of-care diagnostic and longitudinal monitoring tool for cutaneous melanoma. More specifically, the aim is to formulate a micro-needling platform that will enable in-vivo sampling and on-needle quantification of target biomarkers in interstitial fluid (ISF) coupled with an optical biosensing method. The fundamental of the suggested platform relies on the functionalization of microneedles with suitable biorecognition elements that can penetrate the upper skin layers, post on-skin attachment of the patch, and selectively capturing biomarkers in the ISF, followed by in situ analysis.The identification of biomarkers results in a specific binding between the receptor and analyte that is therefore analysed by performing a suitable fluorescent immunoassay. Finally, the employment of the assay ex-vivo results in the quantification of the concentration of biomarkers in the interstitial fluid and is correlated to a diagnosis verdict. The development of the suggested tool will enable clinicians to tackle the current challenges in the diagnostics field. The employed materials and performed assays are characterized by low cost, availability, and due to their small size, compactness, and portability. Also, since the microneedles of the platform do not reach the neurons of the skin, the patient inconvenience and side effects that accompany biopsy are eliminated. Furthermore, biosensors offer rapid diagnostic time coupled with high sensitivity and selectivity.