WTEC Panel Report on

INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN BIOSENSING

The WTEC staff helps select topics, recruits expert panelists, arranges study visits to foreign laboratories, organizes
workshop presentations, and finally, edits and disseminates the final reports.

INTERNATIONAL R&D IN BIOSENSING

Final Report

August 2004

QUOTES






“Multiple groups, such as those of Alivisatos at the University of California, Berkeley; Nie at Emory
University; and Bawendi at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), are investigating the novel
properties of quantum dots for potential use in optical sensing and biosensing applications. Complex optical
sensing chemistries and biochemistries are being attached to nanoparticles called PEBBLES (Probes
Encapsulated By Biologically Localized Embedding) by Kopelman at the University of Michigan
(www.umich.edu/~koplab/research2/analytical/NanoScaleAnalysis.html) that can be introduced into living
cells to report on intracellular concentrations of key metabolites.

At the WTEC Biosensing Study’s U.S. R&D Overview Workshop held in Bethesda, MD, on 3-4 December
2002 (wtec.org/biosensing/proceedings/), a theme in U.S. biosensing R&D became apparent: nanostructured
materials with built-in functionality and binding affinity are increasingly being used to perform optical
sensing. Research in nanomaterials has led to the discovery of new optical (and other) transduction
mechanisms. This area is particularly promising, as it leverages existing research investments.


INEXPENSIVE AND DISTRIBUTED SENSORS

A distinguishing feature of many European biosensor efforts is a focus on developing extremely inexpensive
sensors for everyday applications. These sensors are primarily directed toward food and environmental
applications and are intended to be widely incorporated in consumer products. For example, at Cambridge
University in the UK (see site report in Appendix B), the laboratory of Professor Chris Lowe is developing
holographic sensors that can measure a variety of parameters in food or can be emblazoned into consumer
packaging. A visible hologram image functions as both the analyte-specific responsive media and the optical
detection mechanism; further, it serves as the test result and therefore requires no additional electronic
processing. Holograms can have presence/absence readout or can be designed with a built-in dial in which
the dial moves as the concentration of the analyte increases. The holograms can even be written in the
product material (e.g., food), providing a zero materials cost. Sample holographic sensor test results from
Prof. Lowe’s lab are shown in Figure 2.1 below. “


The PDF is available on line for down load............ imagine the theme song from the Andie Griffin
show you know Mayberry........... PS If you down load the PDF you will have some very cool graphics and
if you can read you'll scare the pooh out of your self....... is it time Andie is time, not quite yet Barn...