Piezoactive Bio-NanoMechanical Cantilever Force Sensor for Disease Diagnosis

Student: Samira Faegh
Department: Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Advisor: Nader Jalili

Abstract

Detection of multiple analytes for the purpose of disease diagnosis requires sensitive biosensing tools capable of transducing molecular interactions into some physical quantity. For this, a microdiagnostic platform based on arrays of microcantilevers with self-sensing capability is proposed for disease diagnosis. Microcantilever-based detection technique equipped with piezoactive read-out device enables transduction of molecular recognition into a nanomechanical motion. The proposed mechanism offers a variety of advantages over other detection techniques such as low cost, simplicity, high sensitivity, low sample consumption, and non-sample preparation requirement. Specific aims of this study would be applying the proposed mechanism as biosensor for detection of glucose concentration in blood, detection of specific markers of acute myocardial infarction for continuous monitoring of the level of these marker proteins in blood, and finally increasing the sensitivity and selectivity of the proposed diagnostic kit. Detection of proteins is the main requirement in disease diagnosis. Microcantilever-based biosensors are capable of transducing the bio-interaction into a nanomechanical motion which enables diagnosis through detection of a great number of analyte at the same time in just one step. The proposed NMCS offers a unique laser-less, compact, cheap, and portable platform for detection of marker proteins relative to specific diseases and enables label-free biological detection at the nanoscale. It also enables easy integration for multiple arrays.
Functionalizing piezoresistive microcantilever with antibodies, or any receptor for analyte, specific binding takes place while submerging the NMCS in the solution. The change of surface stress and thus cantilever deflection as a result of this binding can be obtained through the change of resistivity of the piezoresistive layer.