Electrospray Deposition of Biosensor Substrates

University Of South Florida, Tampa FL

Investigators

Abstract

0854354 Schlaf Current wet-chemical approaches used for the fabrication of capture based immunoassays are often time consuming, and can result in inconsistent results due to the necessary multi-step process. This research program focuses on the exploration and application of a rapid preparation method for immunoassays recently demonstrated by the PIs. This method utilizes direct electrospray deposition at atmospheric pressure of affinity capture reagents (such as antibodies) on solid supports. The method is able to fabricate ready-to-go sandwich immunoassays during a deposition time of a few tens of seconds. This contrasts with a longer than 48 hours preparation time for conventional wet-chemically prepared assays. The assay sensitivity and specificity of Escherichia coli (E. coli) immunoassays prepared with this method have already been demonstrated to be similar or better to that of conventional wet-chemically prepared assays. Encouraged by these preliminary results a systematic investigation of the adsorption process will be carried out, while also pursuing an optimization the deposition process for potential applications in biosensor manufacturing. In addition to these efforts, a direct patterning device based on electrospray deposition will be designed and built in collaboration with a small business, Elion systems, Inc.. The goal is to enable rapid computer-controlled fabrication of patterned biosensor coupons in a bench top or field environment. This will enable the small scale ad hoc fabrication of multi-capture reagent biosensor coupons capable of parallel detection of a variety of pathogens.