Special Issue: "Nanotechnological Advances in Biosensors"  Sensors Journal

New Guest Editor (12 June 2008)
Dr. Jay Nadeau

Canada Research Chair in Nanocellular Neuroscience, McGill University, Canada, Tier 2 - June 1, 2004; Tel. 514-398-8372; E-mail: jay.nadeau@mcgill.ca
and
Center for Life Detection, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mail Code 183-301, 4800 Oak Grove Dr. Pasadena, CA 91109 (818) 354-0522; (818) 393-4445 (FAX); E-mail: nadeau@mail2.jpl.nasa.gov; http://www.its.caltech.edu/~nadeau/

Keywords: Ion Channel Biosensors, Quantum Dots for Biological Labeling, Robotic Chemistry Lab fo
r Martian Life Detection

Link to the Biosensors section Editorial Board

Deadline for Paper Submission:  30 November 2008

Planned Papers

Title: "Sensitive aflatoxin B1 determination using magnetic particles-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay"
Author: Madalina Tudorache 1 and Camelia Bala 1,2 *
1 Laboratory of Quality Control and Process Monitoring, 2 Department of Analytical  Chemistry, University of Bucharest, 4-12 Regina Elisabeta Blvd., 030018 Bucharest, Romania; * e-mail: camelia.bala@g.unibuc.ro
Abstract: New alternative analysis for Aflatoxin B1 determination had been developed as magnetic particle-based enzyme-liked immunosorbent assay (mp-ELISA). The method principle is based on conventional competitive ELISA where the anti-Aflatoxin B1 antibody is immobilized on the magnetic particles surface. A permanent magnet placed close to the microplate walls allows manipulating easily the magnetic particles together with the immobilized reagent (e.g. anti-Aflatoxin B1 antibody). As a consequence, the antibody is conveniently distributed into the volume of the microtitre plate well improving the immuno-interaction efficiency. Therefore, the equilibrium of the immuno-interaction will be achieved faster than in classical ELISA (10 min for mp-ELISA), decreasing dramatically the analysis time (maximum 20 min).  The mp-ELISA involves fewer steps, larger interface contact liquid-solid, more stable and efficiently bioactive surface and lesser immuno-reagents utilised than conventional ELISA.
Different types of anti-aflatoxin B1 antibody were tested (e.g. Ab I – polyclonal anti-Aflatoxin B1 antibody, Ab II – polyclonal anti-Aflatoxin B1 affinity purified antibody and Ab III – monoclonal anti-Aflatoxin B1 antibody) for the mp-ELISA configuration. Also, different immobilization procedures of the anti-Aflatoxin B1 antibody on the magnetic particles surface were used for each type of antibody. Thus, the antibody was covalent immobilised on the particles or affinity immobilised after covering the magnetic particles with protein G/A. Ab III gave the best results showing higher affinity for Aflatoxin B1 than the others. For this case, direct immobilization of antibody on the magnetic particles allowed to get more sensitive analysis than the affinity immobilization procedure (LOD = 0.001 ppb for covalent immobilization and LOD = 0.1 and 0.05 ppb for affinity immobilization via protein G and A, respectively).
Finally, sensitive immunoassay method (mp-ELISA) was set up for Aflatoxin B1 determination at ppt level.
References
Ibraimi F, Kriz D, Lu M, Hansson L-O, Kriz K (2006) Anal. Bioanal. Chem.  384: 651-657.
Liu GD, Timchalk C, Lin YH (2006) Electroanalysis  18: 1605-1613.
Wellman AD, Sepaniak MJ (2006) Anal. Chem.  78: 4450-4456.
Wang S-F, Tan Y-M (2007) Anal. Bioanal. Chem.  387: 703-708.
Zhao X, Shippy SA (2004) Anal. Chem.  76: 1871-1877.
Sole S, Merkoci A, Alegret S (2001) TrAC  20: 102-110.
Rad AY, Yavuz H, Kocakulak M, Denizli A (2003) Macromol. Biosci.  3: 471-476.

Topic: "Quantum Dot Biosensors"
Author: Jay Nadeau, Canada Research Chair in Nanocellular Neuroscience, McGill University, Canada, Tier 2 - June 1, 2004; Tel. 514-398-8372;
E-mail: jay.nadeau@mcgill.ca

Abstract: to be added soon

Summary

Coupling of biomolecules or complex biological systems with electronic or optoelectronic devices is the general principle of various biosensors. The effective performance of biosensors requires transduction of the chemical signals generated by the biological components to electronic signals. New methods and new materials (functionalized nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, etc.) developed due to the tremendous recent success in nanotechnology pave the way for the novel possibilities to couple biomaterials and electronic transducers. The great importance of cooperative efforts in bioelectronics and nanotechnology, resulting in the formulation of the novel scientific direction named “bionanotechnology” cannot be overestimated. The recently born scientific direction has already attracted major interests of researches. Dimensional similarity of biomolecules and nano-objects allow their functional coupling, thus providing effective chemical/electronic signal transduction in the hybrid systems. The bionano-hybrid systems keep great promise for the development of novel biosensors, biofuel cells and biocomputing elements. Therefore, cooperative efforts of chemists, physicists and engineers from both science/technology areas (bioelectronics and nanotechnology) are needed to bring these promises into reality. These efforts should be directed to the basic science and to the technological development solving practical issues. The present special issue will outline the state-of-the-art in the area of nanotechnological advances in biosensors.

Keywords

Bionanotechnology, Nanotechnology, Biosensors, Nanomaterials, Nanostructure, NEMS, Functionalized Nanoparticles, Carbon Nanotubes, Biofuel Cells, Biocomputing

Submission

Sensors (http://www.mdpi.org/sensors/) is a highly rated journal with a 1.573 impact factor in 2007.
Sensors is indexed and abstracted very quickly by Chemical Abstracts, Analytical Abstracts, Science Citation Index Expanded, Chemistry Citation Index, Scopus and Google Scholar.

All papers should be submitted to sensors@mdpi.org with copy to the guest editor, E-mail: jay.nadeau@mcgill.ca. To be published continuously until the deadline and papers will be listed together at the special websites.

Please visit the instructions for authors at http://www.mdpi.org/sensors/publguid.htm before submitting a paper. Open Access publication fees are 1050 CHF per paper. English correction fees (250 CHF) will be added in certain cases (1300 CHF per paper for those papers that require extensive additional formatting and/or English corrections.).

Mr. Matthias Burkhalter
Managing Editor
MDPI Center - Sensors Office
Kandererstrasse 25 - CH-4057 Basel / Switzerland
E-mail: sensors@mdpi.org
Tel +41 61 683 7734, Fax +41 61 302 8918
http://www.mdpi.org/sensors

Sensors Journal Special Issues

MDPI - Matthias Burkhalter - 25 September 2008