Polyelectrolyte brush-functionalized transistors for biosensing applications

简单快速地在体外和体内检测疾病存在的警告信号具有明显的长期益处。这笔海外旅费赠款的目的是开展初步工作，将晶体管技术与刺激响应刷（刷是一种薄膜，一端附着在薄膜覆盖的表面上，由聚合物组成）联系起来，这将表明存在一些与健康风险等有关的因素（分子或细胞）。关键的挑战是将相关事件或相互作用的识别与其检测相结合，同时对于体内测量，避免由于测量本身而产生的任何有害影响。电解质门控有机场效应晶体管是解决这些问题的优秀候选者，因为它们的环境多功能性（即对不同外部刺激的响应）和它们的化学功能潜力。一个典型的挑战是检测对与炎症区域相关的pH变化的反应。为了实现这一点，可以使用接枝的介电层作为晶体管的栅极的一部分。介电层通过经历构象转变来响应局部pH的变化，这改变了其厚度，并因此改变了介电层的电容。类似地，晶体管对不同类型细胞的存在的响应，无论是癌细胞、寄生虫还是细菌，都可以允许早期检测严重的疾病，以及更好地控制细胞粘附的可能性。引发聚合物刷构象变化的实验是检测这些细胞的重要手段。这笔海外旅费赠款的目的是收集初步数据，以便开始一个新的研究主题。

Simple and fast in vitro and in vivo detection of warning signs for the presence of diseases has clear long-term benefits. The purpose of this overseas travel grant is to undertake preliminary work linking transistor technologies with stimuli-responsive polyelectrolyte brushes (a brush is a film comprising polymers attached at one end to the surface upon which the film coats) that would signal the presence of a number of factors (molecules or cells) associated, for example, with risks to health. The key challenge is to couple the recognition of the relevant event or interaction with its detection whilst, for in vivo measurements, avoiding any deleterious effects due to the measurement itself. Electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors are excellent candidates for addressing these problems because of their environmental versatility (i.e. response to different external stimuli) and their potential for chemical functionality. A typical challenge would be the detection of a response to pH changes associated with regions of inflammation. To achieve this, a grafted polyelectrolyte layer may be used as part of the gate of a transistor. The polyelectrolyte responds to changes in local pH by undergoing a conformational transition, which changes its thickness, and consequently the capacitance of the dielectric layer. Similarly, the response of transistors to the presence of different types of cells, be they cancerous cells, parasites, or bacteria, and may allow early detection of serious conditions, as well as the possibility of better controlling cellular adhesion. Experiments which trigger conformational changes in polymer brushes are an important means of detecting these cells. The purpose of this overseas travel grant is to collect initial data with which to start a new research theme.