Integrated optical biosensor for rapid detection of bacteria

Mathesz, A., Valkai, S., Újvárosy, A., Aekbote, B. , Sipos, O., Stercz, B., Kocsis, B., Szabó, D. and Dér, A. (2015) Integrated optical biosensor for rapid detection of bacteria. Optofluidics, Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, 2(1), pp. 15-21. (doi: 10.1515/optof-2015-0002)

Abstract

In medical diagnostics, rapid detection of pathogenic bacteria from body fluids is one of the basic issues. Most state-of-the-art methods require optical labeling, increasing the complexity, duration and cost of the analysis. Therefore, there is a strong need for developing selective sensory devices based on label-free techniques, in order to increase the speed, and reduce the cost of detection. In a recent paper, we have shown that an integrated optical Mach-Zehnder interferometer, a highly sensitive all-optical device made of a cheap photopolymer, can be used as a powerful lab-on-a-chip tool for specific, labelfree detection of proteins. By proper modifications of this technique, our interferometric biosensor was combined with a microfluidic system allowing the rapid and specific detection of bacteria from solutions, having the surface of the sensor functionalized by bacterium-specific antibodies. The experiments proved that the biosensor was able to detect Escherichia coli bacteria at concentrations of 106 cfu/ml within a few minutes, that makes our device an appropriate tool for fast, label-free detection of bacteria from body fluids such as urine or sputum. On the other hand, possible applications of the device may not be restricted to medical microbiology, since bacterial identification is an important task in microbial forensics, criminal investigations, bio-terrorism threats and in environmental studies, as well.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Aekbote, Dr Badri
• Authors: Mathesz, A., Valkai, S., Újvárosy, A., Aekbote, B., Sipos, O., Stercz, B., Kocsis, B., Szabó, D., and Dér, A.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Biomedical Engineering
• Journal Name: Optofluidics, Microfluidics and Nanofluidics
• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• ISSN: 2300-7435
• ISSN (Online): 2300-7435
• Published Online: 31 December 2015
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 205 Anna Mathesz et al.
• First Published: First published in Optofluidics, Microfluidics and Nanofluidics 2(1): 15-21
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License