NOVEL INFRARED FIBER-OPTIC BIOSENSOR

TOXIC SUBSTANCES IN THE ENVIRONMENT POSE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO HUMANS. TO MONITOR, CONTROL AND REDUCE EXPOSURE TO THIS HEALTH HAZARD, AND TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS NEEDING TREATMENT WHO HAVE UNKNOWINGLY BEEN EXPOSED TO IT, SENSITIVE TESTING APPARATUS NEED TO BE DEVELOPED. THIS NEED COULD BE MET WITH BIOSENSORS WHICH MAKE USE OF THE SELECTIVE FUNCTIONALITY OF BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES TO DETECT AND QUANTIFY THESE TOXINS. A WEAKNESS OF MOST EXISTING BIOSENSORS IS THAT THEY DO NOT MONITOR THE SPECIFIC FUNCTION OR ACTIVITY OF THE SENSING BIOMOLECULE DIRECTLY, BUT INDIRECTLY SURVEY THE REACTIVITY OF THE BIOMOLECULE AND THE TARGETED MOLECULE THROUGH AN INTERMEDIARY, SUCH AS AN ENZYME, COMPETITIVE DYE OR FLUORESCENT LABEL. EVEN THOUGH A QUANTIFIABLE MEASURING CIRCUIT CAN BE PRODUCED, THIS RELIANCE ON THE INTERMEDIARY COMPLICATES SENSOR MANUFACTURING AND LIMITS BROAD APPLICATION OF THE TOOL TO THOSE BIOCHEMICAL REACTIONS FOR WHICH A MEDIATING MECHANISM IS KNOWN TO EXIST. THESE DEFICIENCIES CAN BE OVERCOME USING A SENSOR DESIGNED TO PROBE THE STRUCTURAL ALTERATIONS IN THE BIORECEPTOR AS IT COMPLEXES WITH A TOXIN DIRECTLY USING INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY. THE RESEARCH WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT A NOVEL BIOSENSING TECHNIQUE, WHICH COMBINES MID-INFRARED FIBER-OPTIC TECHNOLOGY WITH INFRARED DIFFERENCE SPECTROSCOPY, CAN BE USED TO DETECT A WIDE RANGE OF TOXIN MOLECULES. PHASE I RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON FABRICATING AND TESTING INFRARED FIBER-OPTIC PROBES COATED WITH RELEVANT TOXIN BIORECEPTORS.