EAGER: Bio-Inspired Electrochemical Sensing of Small Molecules using Antibodies

Northeastern University, Boston MA

Investigators

Abstract

PI: Goluch, Edgar D. Proposal Number: 1740961 A new approach for measuring small biological molecules such as toxins found in surface water is proposed. The approach, if successful, can provide a basis for compact devices that are portable for measuring harmful molecules. There is a scarcity of sensors for detection of small biological molecules. The current approach - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) - generally cannot be used for sensing small biomolecules due to limited binding sites on the antigen. An alternative approach is needed. Antibodies that have antigens bound to them are recognized in mammalian systems by C1q protein. It is generally accepted that all antibodies undergo a conformational change when they bind to an antigen. The change is recognized by the protein, C1q, which attaches to the conserved, Fc, region of the antibody. In the proposed work, C1q recognition event will be used to examine feasibility of detecting small bioanalytes in aqueous samples. The binding measurements and characterization will be performed using commercially available instrument systems. In the second aim, C1q protein will be modified with a redox-active molecule for measuring using voltammetry-based electrochemical sensor, as it is a simple, robust, and mature technology. If the project is successful, it is expected to be broadly applicable to many sensing application with the potential to develop a low-cost, portable electrochemical sensing platform. The project will provide undergraduate and graduate students with multidisciplinary research experiences that will foster collaboration between engineers and biologists, preparing them for future workplace environments.