Vinci Wing Sze Hung

Disposable Immunochips for the Detection of Legionella pneumophila Using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

The rapid diagnosis of Legionellosis is crucial for the effective treatment of this disease. Currently, most clinical laboratories utilize rapid immunoassays that are sufficient for the detection of Legionella serogroup 1, but not other clinically relevant serogroups. In this report, the development of a disposable immunochip system is described in connection with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy. The immunochips were prepared by covalently immobilizing fluorophore-conjugated L. pneumophilaantibodies on Au chips. The analytical performance of the immunochips was optimized as a prescreening tool for L. pneumophila. The versatile immunochips described here can be easily adapted for the monitoring of all Legionella serogroups in clinical and environmental samples.

Label-free methods for probing the interaction of clioquinol with amyloid-β

The presence of amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrils is characteristic of Alzheimers disease (AD), and the aggregation of these amyloidogenic proteins is a nucleation-dependent process. In this report, label-free methods based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and thickness shear mode acoustic wave sensors (TSM-AWS) were used to detect monomer elongation in real-time. The modulation of Aβ aggregation using a well-described flavonoid, clioquinol (CQ) was also observed. Established methods like fluorescence and electrochemistry were also employed to confirm the interaction of CQ with Aβ. Good correlation between the designed label-free methods creates a promising platform for the screening of novel amyloid inhibitors.

Carbon Nanotubes: Advances, Integration and Applications to Printable Electrode-Based Biosensors

The development of novel analytical techniques for biosensor application has been an area of intense research efforts in the past decade and, in a field where the demand for rapid and cost-effective analyses is high, the use of screen-printed electrodes as opposed to conventional macroelectrodes can effectively satisfy these demands. With advancements in nanotechnology, the use of nanomaterials in biosensors has also added another level of customizability and sensitivity. In this chapter, we described the use of carbon nanotubes in printable electrode-based biosensors for label-free detection approaches for the detection of environmental contaminants and biologically relevant substrates. A discussion of past developments and recent advancements will highlight the broad range of experimental designs suitable for biosensing applications. With continual innovation in this field, it is expected that screen-printing technology will come to the fore in biosensing technology and progress successfully to overcome fundamental challenges in the biosensor field.