Wearable Sample Collection for Biosensing

Measurement of low abundance proteins is key for enabling early detection of diseases [1]. A widely used method for the measurement of low abundance proteins is enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) [2]. ELISA uses two antibodies where a capture antibody allows a target protein to be pulled out of samples and a detection antibody is labelled with an enzyme. A substrate is then added, which is acted upon by the enzyme to produce a fluorescent or coloured product. The fluorescence intensity or absorption is proportional to the concentration of the target protein. Furthermore, as each enzyme can act upon multiple substrate molecules, the signal is amplified, allowing measurement of low abundance proteins. ELISA, however, requires multiple adding and washing steps, and hence is laborious.

This project will build on our recently reported work on a wearable hydrogel for pre-concentration, fluorescent labelling, and light-triggered release of proteins. The proteins released from the hydrogel will be detected using leaky waveguides, lateral flow devices, and microtitre plate readers. The reported hydrogel is promising for detection of low abundance proteins while being less laborious than ELISA. The student will be based in the Gupta group (https://rguptagrouplab.com/) in the School of Chemistry at University of Birmingham.

No scholarships are available for this project. Interested self-funded candidates may contact Dr Gupta (r.gupta.3@bham.ac.uk) for an informal discussion.