Nanowire Optical Assay Probe

More sensitive detection methods leading to early diagnosis could significantly impact the treatment of cancer and other diseases and dramatically increase survival rates. However, current methods used to detect disease indicators do not have the needed sensitivity and often are effective only once the indicator concentration has reached a critical level. Nanotechnology-enabled probes, which can interact with and sense biological compounds on the molecular level, hold great promise for point-of-care diagnosis of disease. This project will develop a nanowire optical probe that uses surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) as a method for molecular identification. The probe will be incorporated into a portable, rapid, and highly sensitive assay system that will detect multiple biomedical substances in patients. In Phase I, a nanowire optical probing platform was successfully engineered. Antibodies for the ovarian cancer marker CA 125 were used to characterize the sensor platform as to its optical, chemical, and biological properties. Phase II will expand the development of the nanowire optical assay probe, integrate the probe with diagnostic control systems, and perform clinical laboratory tests to compare the nanowire assay performance with standard clinical laboratory assays. Finally, a prototype diagnostic instrument will be produced. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The nanowire assay probe should be able to identify virtually any antibody, offering the potential to replace hundreds of assays in clinical and research laboratories with a portable instrument. In addition, the probe could have a significant impact on world health because the system could be used with very little infrastructure requirements. Lastly, these probes could be configured to detect chemical and biological compounds in the environment, lending them valuable in the detection of chemical and biological weapons for homeland security.