Developing structurally- and functionally-tuned three-dimensional electrodes for biosensing

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Currently, there is tremendous market demand for two classes of miniaturized biosensors: (1) handheld point-of-care (POC) diagnostic s and (2) wearable health monitoring devices. The difficulty in commercializing new POC and wearable technologies is that it is extremely challenging to create ultrasensitive biosensors that do not rely on complex devices for signal or target amplification, and can detect emerging biomarkers in complex biological samples at clinically relevant concentrations.**In this proposal, we will provide a unique materials strategy for solving the limit-of-detection challenges of biosensors. The approach will be based on increasing the signal-to-background ratio of these devices. Signal enhancement will be achieved by using three-dimensional hierarchically organized electrodes that collectively increase the electrochemical current density and the probability of analyte capture through their precisely designed structure. The reduction of the background signals will be achieved by creating hybrid omniphobic electrodes featuring a unique slippery coating that captures the desired target analytes and significantly reduces the non-specific binding of background materials; andbimodal photoactive electrodes that are excited using light and are operated under low electrical bias reducing the background electrochemical processes.**The proposed project will combine these unique materials approaches for the first time and is expected to: (1) result in record values in terms of limit-of-detection enabling the development of several new classes of biosensors including wearable sensors; (2) generate new knowledge in the correlation between materials structure and function in the biosensing context; (3) result in a rich multidisciplinary training environment with skills that are transferrable to several sectors; (4) provide our industry partner, a global leader in POC diagnostics in Canada and globally, a competitive advantage resulting in significant economic and health benefits to Canadians, including new direct and indirect jobs, availability of high quality diagnostic testing in remote areas, and more efficient use of healthcare funds.