College
College of Engineering & Technology (Batten)
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Graduate Level
Doctoral
Graduate Program/Concentration
Biomedical Engineering
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Point-of-care (POC) electric field-based biosensors have emerged as a promising tool to detect early cancer biomarkers such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), microRNA (miRNA), and proteins. To be effective in screening in clinical settings, these biosensors must be simple and easy to use. In this study, we have studied the manipulation of short DNA molecules suspended in a sessile drop to achieve this goal. Alternative current (AC) electric fields were used to polarize DNA molecules and produce dielectrophoretic (DEP) force on DNA molecules. DEP force is used to manipulate polarized DNA molecules towards the higher electric field gradients (toward the electrodes) or lower electric field gradients (away from the electrodes). Additionally, the electric fields induce AC electroosmosis and electrothermal flow in the sessile drop. We have used the interdigitated electrodes manufactured on a glass substrate to apply electric fields. We studied the frequency-dependent molecular flow and concentration on electrodes. Our results demonstrate the frequency and field-dependent DNA flow within the sessile drop and concentration in electrodes. These results can be used to develop future electric field biosensors for POC.
Keywords
POC, biosensor, biomarker, DNA, AC, DEP, concentration
Included in
Bioimaging and Biomedical Optics Commons, Biomedical Commons, Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation Commons, Electromagnetics and Photonics Commons
AC Electric Fields Manipulate and Concentrate DNA Molecules on Electrodes
Point-of-care (POC) electric field-based biosensors have emerged as a promising tool to detect early cancer biomarkers such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), microRNA (miRNA), and proteins. To be effective in screening in clinical settings, these biosensors must be simple and easy to use. In this study, we have studied the manipulation of short DNA molecules suspended in a sessile drop to achieve this goal. Alternative current (AC) electric fields were used to polarize DNA molecules and produce dielectrophoretic (DEP) force on DNA molecules. DEP force is used to manipulate polarized DNA molecules towards the higher electric field gradients (toward the electrodes) or lower electric field gradients (away from the electrodes). Additionally, the electric fields induce AC electroosmosis and electrothermal flow in the sessile drop. We have used the interdigitated electrodes manufactured on a glass substrate to apply electric fields. We studied the frequency-dependent molecular flow and concentration on electrodes. Our results demonstrate the frequency and field-dependent DNA flow within the sessile drop and concentration in electrodes. These results can be used to develop future electric field biosensors for POC.