Biologically-enhanced sensor arrays for the analysis of proteins

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Proteomics is the study of proteins, including the study of the structure and function of proteins. This includes the study of which proteins are expressed, when and where they are expressed, structure of proteins, roles of proteins, and interactions of proteins. Proteomic instruments, reagents and testing are needed to discover new biomarkers and new drugs. The market for such type of instrumentation topped $5 billion dollars in 2013 and is expected to reach $ 22.8 billion by 2019. The multiplexed assaying of proteins is of specific importance for the understanding and diagnosis of complex diseases where traditional genomic assays are somewhat inadequate. Traditional techniques however involves multiple steps and are thus labor consuming and inappropriate for large scale blood screening. There has therefore been sustained interest towards the development of bioassay platforms circumventing the limitations of typical proteins microarrays. A typical bioassay system couples a physical transducer with a specific recognition probe such as an enzyme, nucleic acid, cell, antibody or artificial receptor. The transducer consists of a device detecting the presence of the target through a change of one of its physical properties. Surface acoustic wave sensors exhibit several advantages for the deployment of analytical systems operating in fluids. For instance, gravimetric biomolecular detection offers potent alternatives to traditional assays for the detection of prions and proteins. More specifically, thin-film bulk acoustic wave resonators (FBAR) sensors operating in shear-mode enable the real-type detection of analytes in fluids, a critical trait missing from many other sensor platforms. Several challenges must be addressed to enable the deployment of FBAR sensors for the assaying of proteins in fluids. First, typical piezoelectric materials employed in such devices tend to degrade when exposed to fluids. Second, the ability to refresh and reuse the sensor surface would constitute an important asset. Finally, the sensor response should be made specific to the detection of the pathogen. This project will address these challenges through the following goals: 1) to develop piezoelectric nanomaterials and FBAR devices resilient to exposure of fluids, 2) to develop refreshable surface moieties imparting specificity to detection of proteins and prions, and 3) to integrate these biologically-enhanced sensors with active CMOS readout circuitry. This platform will open new opportunities for the Canadian health care and pharmaceutical industries. It will enhance the ability of Canadian pharmaceutical industries to develop and market new drugs, allow a better understanding of related diseases, and thus enhance the well-being of Canadians in general.