A point-of-care microsytem based on an impedimetric immunsensor : example of deep vein thrombosis diagnostic

We describe a novel approach which is developing a highly reliable, accurate, portable and handheld prototype medical diagnostic device to improve radically the speed, accuracy and reliability with which DVT and related blood clotting conditions can be assessed. The device will measure whole blood concentration of D-dimer, a recognized biomarker of increased blood clotting activity and will then offer the opportunity to use the test in the point of care setting. The device combines innovation in antibody bio-engineering for high specificity immunoassay-based diagnostics and nano/micro engineered impedimetric analysis electrodes incorporating a biocompatible polymer substrate with development of a disposable microfluidic manifold, enabling diagnostics at the point-of-first-contact. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) is a rapidly developing electrochemical technique for the characterization of biomaterial-functionalized electrodes and especially for the label-free transduction of biosensing events at the electrodes. Experiments have indicated that antibody loaded electroconductive matrices (particularly polypyrrole) give concentration dependant responses when interrogated with EIS. The electroconductive matrix presents a high surface concentration of grafted biomolecules and the change of conformation brought by biological recognition induces a change of the polymer conjugation, which results in amplification of the electrical phenomenon.

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