Highly Sensitive Point of Care Sensor: Basic overview

Using Graphene for cost-effective, high-throughput diagnostics

Trinity College Dublin

Graphene is novel building block to fabricate the next generation electronic devices. Graphene sensors have the potential to offer extreme sensitivity combined with high selectivity for use in diagnostics and other detection applications. The high surface-to-volume ratio of graphene should allow single molecule detection sensitivity required for the latest fast response sensors. Graphene has been cited in terms of global research as having remarkable mechanical strength and biocompatibility and has already been noted as a detector component candidate for chemicals, gases and biomolecules.

Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices

Possible Applications
As with many nano-materials graphene offers a platform technology with potential to be utilised in numerous applications. In particular, graphene as a component of point of care sensor could be used for immediate disease diagnosis by medical staff thus minimising effort and costs associated with expensive equipment and staff training. This sensor technology is expected to not only have application in the diagnosis of diseases from blood, saliva and urine samples but can potentially be applied to monitoring potable water source purity where many diseases are borne.

Medical Devices/Diagnostics:
MM various pathogens and diseases, e.g., influenza,

hepatitis, Parkinsons, Alzheimers etc.

Environmental monitoring:
MM biological contaminants MM chemical pollutants

Gas sensing:
Top: Medical devices are a potential application Bottom: A schematic diagram showing the basic components of a biofunctional graphene sensor MM Carbon monoxide/dioxide MM Nitrogen, etc

more

contact

Further information: Brendan Ring Commercialisation Manager E: Brendan.Ring@tcd.ie T: +353 (0)1 896 3088
Trinity College Dublin 2010. All rights reserved.

Highly Sensitive Point of Care Sensor: Using Graphene for cost-effective, high-throughput diagnostics

What problem does it solve/advantages?

The Biofunctional Graphene Sensor, through ongoing development, is expected to be able to screen and return results for a number of diseases simultaneously within minutes. Routine disease diagnosis today is generally conducted in hospital diagnositc labs using a comparatively large body fluid sample where each disease is analysed by laborious preparation methods and differing proceedures as a legacy of early research into the disease. These procedures generally cause patients an extended wait of hours to days in screening and returning results for only one condition. The simplicity behind the development of Biofunctional Graphene Sensors means that a number of conditions could be screened for in a matter of minutes as tests should be able to be conducted on raw untreated body fluids. The closest marketed competitor to the Biofunctional Graphene Sensor relies on antibodies which are produced in biological systems as a result of exposure to one disease of interest. Biofunctional Graphene Sensor disease detection is related directly to the molecules of the disease so does not require the use of antibodies in production which can take a number of weeks. In fact, Biofunctional Graphene Sensor technology will not rely on biological components during manufacture which is likely to:
MM Reduce unit manufacturing time; MM Reduce problems with quality assurance and; MM Reduce regulatory hurdles in the process of taking the

The Biofunctional Graphene Sensor is set apart from its close competitor in relation to the simplicity of the technology. As the Biofunctional Graphene Sensor does not rely on antibodies to return a result it is expected to be able to identify molecules of environmental pollution that are indetectable by devices relying on antibody technology.
MM Cost effective: Graphene sensors are expected to be

inexpensive to manufacture thus allowing manufacture of single-use sensors that can be easily disposed of at point of care.

MM Flexible operation: The properties of graphene make

it an ideal candidate for detection read outs in stand alone hand-held devices or for readings using electronic benchtop equipment. already shown that graphene can be incorporated to detect analytes at the single molecule level ideal for DNA and protein detection. shown the potential of graphene to differentiate between isomers, e.g., between 2, 4- and 2, 6 dinitrotoluene or Dand L- amino acids. Sensors are expected to allow minimum blood collection requirements, thus dispensing with trauma and costs related to the use of sterile syringes and needles.

MM Extremely sensitive: Tentative global research has

MM Extremely selective: Tentative global research has

MM Very patient & eco friendly: Biofunctional Graphene

device to market.

Interest from industry, entrepreneurs and academia involved with medical devices, diagnostics, and metrology are invited. Experts in business, electronics, physics and biology can add value to bring this from prototype to product. Various support mechanisms and grants available. Technology and Patent Status
This project is sponsored by Science Foundation Ireland and is being run partly in collaboration with The Swiss Tropical Institute in Basle. This technology is in the early stages of development. Proof of concept has been gained for virus detection and progress has been made in the detection of other organisms at lab scale. The patent for this technology is currently being filed.

The opportunity

Principal Inventors Prof. Georg Duesberg

Professor Georg Duesberg is a Princpal Investigator in CRANN under the School of Chemistry at Trinity College. His research focus is on fabricating novel devices and realising concepts to exploit the unique properties of carbon nano-structures such as graphene and nanotubes for applications in information and communication technologies (ICT), bio-chemistry and renewable energy. He has published more than 90 papers with a h-index of 33 on research into novel devices and concepts involving carbon nanostructures and is co-authour of 18 patents.

Prof. Martin Hegner

Professor Martin Hegner is a Princpal Investigator in CRANN under the School of Physics at Trinity College. His scientific interest is focused on interdisciplinary research in the fields of single molecule manipulation, biophysics, bio-diagnostics and development and application of biological sensing devices. He has published more than 59 papers on bio-diagnostics, and the development and application of biological sensing devices and is co-authour of three patent applications.

www.crann.tcd.ie

CRANN located in Trinity College Dublin is Irelands flagship nano research institute. We are focused on producing and commercialising world-class research and are deeply integrated with industry. We have ongoing collaborations with large multinationals and small to medium local enterprise. The 250 strong research team is involved right across the spectrum from materials, magnetics, energy and drug development right thorough to product development of medical devices, sensors and integrated circuits. This is facilitated by our state of the art Advanced Microscopy Laboratory www.crann.tcd.ie/index/Facilities/AdvancedMicroscopyLaboratory in conjunction with our cleanroom, optics labs and business incubation facilities.