Surface Plasmon Fiber Sensor for Antibody Detection

We will develop a new fiber sensor technology based on detection of SP oscillations with thespecific goal of designing a simple, low-cost, remote optical probe capable of measuring HIV and otherviral antibodies upon direct contact with a suitable biological fluid. The sensor will be capable ofdetecting a specific immunological reaction between proteins immobilized onto the fiber sensor and theircorresponding binding partners in solution, without the requirements of molecular tagging employed inconventional immunoassay procedures. Therefore, the proposed technology will be important for invitro, ex vivo, and in vivo diagnosis of infectious agents. In Phase I, we will carry out research tounderstand and control the SP oscillations in optical fibers. The feasibility for immunosensingapplications will be tested by use of a model system composed of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG)molecules immobilized on the sensor tip for specific determination of low concentrations of anti-HCGin solution. Phase II research will use the technology developed in Phase I study to build a prototypedevice sensitive enough to measuring viral antibodies in saliva. The analyte menu will include HIV,hepatitis, leukemia, and other viral antibodies of interest in the diagnostics of infectious diseases.