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Faster and Cheaper Way to Detect DNA Developed

IBN has successfully developed a novel electronic sensor array for more rapid, accurate and cost-efficient testing of DNA for disease diagnosis and biological research. This study by IBN Group Leader Dr Zhiqiang Gao and his team was published in the leading international chemistry journal, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

Called the “Nanogap Sensor Array”, IBN’s new device has a unique, vertically aligned nanostructure design and a two-surface configuration based on electronic transduction. The sensor comes with a pair of micron-sized metal electrodes separated by a nanogap (5–20 nm). The biosensor will translate the presence of DNA into an electrical signal for computer analysis.

“By saving time and lowering expenses, our Nanogap Sensor Array offers a scalable and viable alternative for DNA testing. The novel vertical nanostructure design and two different surfaces of the sensor allow ultrasensitive detection of DNA. This sensitivity is best-in-class among electrical DNA biosensors. The design of the sensor also took into consideration the feasibility of mass production in a cost-effective way for expanded usage,” said Dr Gao.

Ref: Somenath Roy, Xiaojun Chen, Mo-Huang Li, Yanfen Peng, Franklin Anariba and Zhiqiang Gao, “Mass-Produced Nanogap Sensor Arrays for Ultrasensitive Detection of DNA,“ Journal of the American Chemical Society, 131 (2009) 12211-12217.

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