Biosensors

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Biosensors

• Anthony Catalano

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What are Biosensors?

• Any device that analyzes a biological compound
  into a measurable signal
• Composed of a bioreceptor, transducer, and an
  electronic peripheral

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Composition of Biosensors

• Bioreceptor Part of device that interacts with a
  biological material to identify and interact with
  a target molecule
• Transducer Part of the device that turns the
  target molecule into a measured signal
• Electronic Peripheral Turns the measured signal
  into a graphical user interface (GUI) utilizing
  microprocessors

• Enzymes, Antibodies, or nucleic acids.
• Piezoelectric, Thermal, Electrochemical, and
  Optical
• LED Display

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Transducers

• Piezoelectric crystal detector uses the change
  of frequency to calculate change in mass
• Thermal measures change in heat (exothermic,
  endothermic)
• Electrochemical (Amperometric, or
  potentiometric) uses electrodes to measure
  current
• Optical uses Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), or
  reflectance to identify various biological
  molecules

• Measures Mass
• Measures heat, requires large sample size,
  complicated devices
• Amperometric are among the most common
  transducers for biosensors
• Great for identifying antigens, or cancerous
  cells in a solution

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Current Applications and Areas of Improvement

• Current Applications
• Lab-on-a-chip
• Pollutant Control
• Patient Diagnosis
• Detection of harmful pathogens, bacteria, toxic
  compounds

• Future
• Disposable
• Low Cost
• Increased Sensitivity
• Improved Microprocessors
• Multipurpose
• Environmental friendly

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Resources

• 1. Pohanka, Miroslave. "Electrochemical
• Biosensors Principles and Applications."
• Journal of Applied Biomedicine (2008) 58-62.
• Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
• 2. Mutharasan, Raj. "Biosensors." Engineering
• Biotechnology. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.
• lthttp//www.gatewaycoalition.org/files/Hidde
• n/sensr/ch1/1_1f.htmgt.
• 3. Kumar, Ashok. "Biosensors Based on
• Piezoelectric Crystal Detectors Theory and
• Application." Department of Mechanical
• Engineering and Center for Microelectronics
• Research (2010) 1-6. Web.
• http//www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/0010/
• Kumar/Kumar-0010.html
• 4. Dey, D., and T. Goswami. "Optical Biosensors
• A Revolution Towards Quantum Nanoscale
• Electronics Device Fabrication." Journal of
• Biomedicine and Biotechnology 2011.348218