Interferometric biosensor based on guided-mode resonances

Lead Research Organisation: University of York
Department Name: Physics

Abstract

Research towards photonic biosensors for point-of-care applications and personalized medicine is driven by the need for high-sensitivity, low-cost and reliable technology. Amongst the most sensitive modalities, interferometry offers particularly high performance but typically lacks the required operational simplicity and robustness. The project investigates a common-path interferometric sensor based on guided-mode resonances to combine high performance with inherent stability. We see applications in antibiotic guidance and possibilities for detecting clinically or environmentally relevant small molecules with an intrinsically simple and robust sensing modality.

Studentship Projects

Project Reference Relationship Related To Start End Student Name
EP/N509759/1 30/09/2016 29/09/2021
2253223 Studentship EP/N509759/1 01/01/2018 31/12/2020 Isabel Barth
 
Description We designed a biosensor based on guided-mode resonances, a phenomenon that uses laser light to excite resonant signals inside nanoscale gratings. We improved this technology by simultaneously exciting two resonant modes with a low-cost laser diode. Our approach enables sensing of protein-antibody binding induced refractive index changes using relative phase differences between the two modes, minimizing the impact of noise due to outside sources including mechanical vibrations. We demonstrated label-free detection of procalcitonin, a key biomarker for bacterial infections, at picogram/milliliter scales, which could, for example, be relevant in the context of bacterial co-infections of COVID-19 patients.
Exploitation Route We will take the outcomes of this funding forward by further improving the sensitivity of our technology in order to be able to detect lower concentrations of small molecules, which corresponds to a potential earlier and more accurate diagnosis of disease in the future. In order to implement our research as a valuable biomedical tool, which could be used by doctors, we will further reduce the overall size and cost of our sensor and apply it to real human samples in order to prove the applicability of our technology outside a University laboratory.
Sectors Healthcare

Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology

URL https://www.nature.com/articles/s41377-020-0336-6