Microcantilever based Diagnostic Chip for Multiple Analytes

Abstract

The microcantilever based diagnostic chip for multiple analytes is the most recent interest in the field of nanobiotechnology. The diagnostic chip would be composed of an array of microcantilevers which are ultra-highly sensitive microscopic counterpart of commonly used diving board that undergoes deflection when some weight is applied to it. The high specificity of the device is provided by biomolecular recognition which takes place between immobilized biomolecules on the microcantilevers and the specific disease biomarkers present in the patient sample i.e between antigen-antibody, probe DNA-target DNA, protein-receptor and enzyme-substrate. Qualitative and quantitative detection of analytes can be performed economically in lesser time with highly sensitive simple label-free microgravimetric immunoassay procedure having the detection limit extending upto picogram range. The numerous advantages provided by this technique make it far more valuable than the most advanced analytical techniques currently employed. A multidiscliplinary approach is required to make multianalyte sensing chip having wide applications in various fields.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sandeep Kumar

Sandeep Kumar is CSIR doctoral Research Fellow persuing his PhD work on Development of BioMicro Electro-Mechanical Systems (BioMEMS) based microdiagnostic kit for Tuberculosis” at Central Scientific Instrument P Organization (CSIO). He has done his Masters in Biochemistty from Panjab University, Chandigarh and is now working in the domain of nanobiotechnology. Main focus is on the use of the microcantilevers in the diagnosis of Tuberculosis by studying the various biomechanical parameters of the TB diagnostic kit alongwith the biochemical processes involved and the standardization of the various immobilization procedures for antibodies and probe DNAs on the surface of silicon microcantilevers.

Ram P Bajpai

Ram P Bajpai is the director of CSIO. He is actively involved in the BioMEMS based diagnosis of Tuberculosis employing microcantilevers, Molecular motors based targeted drug delivery, DNA electronics, study of mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes and various other projects. Having done his doctorate in solid state physics from Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, he had done his DSc in Materials and Semiconductor technology from Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. He has got a large number of publications in the field of semiconductor processing, biomolecular electronics and BioMEMS. He has filed 8 patents and 5 know-how/technology has been transferred. He has been the Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, Germany and Mombusho Fellow, Japan. He is awarded with several national awards including the National Academy of Sciences, India Award, 1998, Outstanding Contribution Award in the field of Microelectronics for the year 1990–93, WISITEX Foundation International Award-1994 Indigenous development of Molecular Beam Epitaxy System and the CSIR National Technology Award for the year 2002 for the Head-Up-Display for Light Combat Aircraft.

Lalit M Bharadwaj

Lalit M Bharadwaj is head of Biomolecular Electronics and Nanotechnology at CSIO. He is working in the area of diagnosis of Tuberculosis using BioMEMS based devices Molecular motors based targeted drug delivery, study of mechanical properties of Carbon nanotubes, DNA electronics and biosensors of diagnosis of Hepatitis B. He has done his doctorate from Udipur University in physical chemistry and has pursued active research at AIIMS, New Delhi and France. He has filed several patents and has got a large number of international publications. His current interest is to develop miniaturized microclinical diagnostic kit for tuberculosis and a variety of other diseases like Hepatitis B, AIDS etc. But the primary focus is on the diagnosis of tuberculosis which takes along time to be diagnosed even after hundred years of the discovery of Microbacterium tuberculosis. With about one-third of the world population being infected by TB and being the single causative agent for the largest number of deaths in the world, an in-depth study and effective research strategy employing new principles like BioMEMS is required to make the fast and reliable microdiagnostic kit for tuberculosis.