Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Optical resonance-based biosensors designed for medical applications

Abstract:
A telecommunications engineer of the NUP/UPNA-Public University of Navarre, has designed in his Ph.D. thesis optical resonance-based biosensors for use in medical applications like, for example, the detecting of celiac disease. Besides achieving greater resolution and sensitivity, the materials used in these devices are much cheaper and more versatile than the ones used in current technologies (mainly gold and noble metals) so they could offer a potential alternative in the design of biomedical sensors.

Optical resonance-based biosensors designed for medical applications

Spain | Posted on April 18th, 2015

A biosensor is an instrument that uses biological molecules (bioreceptors) to detect other biological or chemical substances. In this thesis the bioreceptors have been antibodies, biological molecules that the body produces specifically to fight off antigens. An antigen is a substance foreign to the human body; our immune system recognises it as a threat and in the presence of it the body reacts by producing antibodies to identify and neutralise it. What is more, the biosensor is made up of a substrate (where the physical phenomenon that translates the biological reactions into intelligible information takes place) and the immobilisation layer which causes the antibodies to become attached to the substrate.

"One of the unique features," says the author, "is that for the substrate we use silicon waveguides on which we generate a specific type of resonance." The biosensors designed are based on the movement of the wavelength of the resonances generated on the basis of the quantity of antigens detected. "When the antibodies come together with the antigens, there is a minimum change in the wavelength that our biosensors are capable of picking up." This is possible thanks to the resolution achieved by these biosensors and their sensitivity, "which enables us to see how much resonances shift on the wavelength as the antibody-antigen links increase."

Medical application

The work carried out by Abián Socorro is geared towards medical applications. Basically, the more antigens that are detected in the sample, the more advanced the disease is. "This is what we would see: if you are in an early or late phase, you will have few antigens and few antibodies, so the resonance will move towards wavelengths closer to the reference ones. If the phase is more advanced, the concentrations detected will be higher so the resonance will change a lot in the wavelength," he explained.

The technology used is based on LMRs, lossy mode resonances, in which the Sensors Laboratory of the NUP/UPNA-Public University of Navarre is a pioneer. "This technology has shown itself to be a potential competitor of the one based on SPRS (surface plasmon resonances) which currently dominates most biosensor applications".

So this work is about optimizing the parameters of the optical waveguides used to generate resonances that provide the maximum possible resolution and sensitivity, a crucial aspect in the field of biosensors. The research conducted has resulted in two awards at the international conferences Trends in Nanotechnology 2012 and Optical Fibre Sensors 2014. In the latter conference, the biosensor was designed to detect coeliac disease and when compared with the usual values in the clinical environment succeeded in reducing the concentration of antibodies detected to diagnose this disorder.

####

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Alaitz Imaz

Copyright © Elhuyar Fundazioa

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

News and information

New class of protein misfolding simulated in high definition: Evidence for recently identified and long-lasting type of protein misfolding bolstered by atomic-scale simulations and new experiments August 8th, 2025

Sensors innovations for smart lithium-based batteries: advancements, opportunities, and potential challenges August 8th, 2025

Deciphering local microstrain-induced optimization of asymmetric Fe single atomic sites for efficient oxygen reduction August 8th, 2025

Lab to industry: InSe wafer-scale breakthrough for future electronics August 8th, 2025

Nanomedicine

New molecular technology targets tumors and simultaneously silences two ‘undruggable’ cancer genes August 8th, 2025

New imaging approach transforms study of bacterial biofilms August 8th, 2025

Cambridge chemists discover simple way to build bigger molecules – one carbon at a time June 6th, 2025

Electrifying results shed light on graphene foam as a potential material for lab grown cartilage June 6th, 2025

Sensors

Sensors innovations for smart lithium-based batteries: advancements, opportunities, and potential challenges August 8th, 2025

Quantum sensors tested for next-generation particle physics experiments: New research shows that the specialized sensors can detect particles more precisely April 25th, 2025

Quantum engineers ‘squeeze’ laser frequency combs to make more sensitive gas sensors January 17th, 2025

UCF researcher discovers new technique for infrared “color” detection and imaging: The new specialized tunable detection and imaging technique for infrared photons surpasses present technology and may be a cost-effective method of capturing thermal imaging or night vision, medica December 13th, 2024

Discoveries

Deciphering local microstrain-induced optimization of asymmetric Fe single atomic sites for efficient oxygen reduction August 8th, 2025

ICFO researchers overcome long-standing bottleneck in single photon detection with twisted 2D materials August 8th, 2025

New molecular technology targets tumors and simultaneously silences two ‘undruggable’ cancer genes August 8th, 2025

Simple algorithm paired with standard imaging tool could predict failure in lithium metal batteries August 8th, 2025

Announcements

Sensors innovations for smart lithium-based batteries: advancements, opportunities, and potential challenges August 8th, 2025

Deciphering local microstrain-induced optimization of asymmetric Fe single atomic sites for efficient oxygen reduction August 8th, 2025

Japan launches fully domestically produced quantum computer: Expo visitors to experience quantum computing firsthand August 8th, 2025

ICFO researchers overcome long-standing bottleneck in single photon detection with twisted 2D materials August 8th, 2025

Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters

New molecular technology targets tumors and simultaneously silences two ‘undruggable’ cancer genes August 8th, 2025

Simple algorithm paired with standard imaging tool could predict failure in lithium metal batteries August 8th, 2025

First real-time observation of two-dimensional melting process: Researchers at Mainz University unveil new insights into magnetic vortex structures August 8th, 2025

Lab to industry: InSe wafer-scale breakthrough for future electronics August 8th, 2025

Grants/Sponsored Research/Awards/Scholarships/Gifts/Contests/Honors/Records

Researchers uncover strong light-matter interactions in quantum spin liquids: Groundbreaking experiment supported by Rice researcher reveals new insights into a mysterious phase of quantum matter December 13th, 2024

New discovery aims to improve the design of microelectronic devices September 13th, 2024

Physicists unlock the secret of elusive quantum negative entanglement entropy using simple classical hardware August 16th, 2024

Atomic force microscopy in 3D July 5th, 2024

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project