CONDUCTANCE BIOSENSOR FOR DETECTING MICROORGANISMS

A PROJECT IS PROPOSED TO DEVELOP A BIOSENSOR FOR MEASURING PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS IN WATER BY MEASURING CHANGES IN CONDUCTANCE ACROSS MICROPOROUS, POLYCARBONATE MEMBRANE COATE WITH SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES. THE MEMBRANES WILL BE COATED WITH HYDROPHILIC POLYMERS USING PHOTOCHEMICAL COUPLING. ANTIBODIES SPECIFIC FOR THE ANALYTE WILL THEN BE COUPLED TO THE POLYMER-COATED MEMBRANES PRIMARILY IN THE PORES. THE COATING AND IMMOBILIZATION METHODS ARE DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE NONSPECIFIC ADSORPTION OF PROTEINS AND TO STABILIZE THE ANTIBODY. THE PURPOSE IS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THIS TECHNIQUE CAN BE USED TO RAPIDLY AND SENSITIVELY DETECT MICROBIAL AGENTS IN CLINICAL SAMPLES. THIS TECHNIQUE WILL FIRST BE DEVELOPED FOR DETECTING E. COLI IN WATER SAMPLES.