Fast, Precise and Multiplex Biosensing Technology

Novel Sensing Technologies for Rapid Identification of Microorganisms [ 下載 PDF ]

Yong-Li Pan, Chi-Chang Lin, Tsung Chain Chang, Hsien-Chang Chang

When human beings, animals and plants are incidentally infected by pathogenic microorganisms, their endangerments to individual and public health are often shocking. In order to prevent and avoid these disasters, it is a great urgency to understand the characteristics of these microorganisms in depth and to develop novel sensing technologies zealously for creating rapid detection and identification methods. Because pathogenic microorganisms include various species, this article will focus on the introduction of bacteria and fungi. Then, we will systematically introduce five major sensing technologies, which are biosensors, molecular biological techniques, immunoserologic methods, dielectrophoretic chips and spectroscopy instruments. Furthermore, we will explicitly dissect their important detection principles, applications of microorganisms identification, current state of the art, future trends and prospectives.

Development and Application of Non-Invasive Biomedical Breath Sensor for the Diagnosis-Aided of Diseases [ 下載 PDF ]

Tzong-Zeng Wu, Jeng-Ying Wu, Yu-Sheng Lin, Pin-Chao Hsu, His-Chang Shih

By substituting with non-invasive breath test with general diagnosis way such as phlebotomization, it not only can reduce the patient's uncomfortable sense but also increase the understanding of basic biochemical function of body by way of information revealed from exhalation. By using breath gas to replace established blood or urine samples as biomarker source, several advantages would be obtained such as easy in sample collection and operating, unsophisticated in sample's composition, less infection risk, non-invasive test, real-time, and easy in repetition tests. This article would introduce the serial research works related with non-invasive breath biomedical sensor for diagnosisaided of several diseases proceeding in author's laboratory, also address the future prospects and the possible challenge or obstacles might happen while launching into practical application.

Buried Optical Waveguides/Fibers Integrated with Microfluidic Systems for Biomedical Applications [ 下載 PDF ]

Suz-Kai Hsiung, Gwo-Bin Lee

We have demonstrated optical waveguides and buried optic fibers integrated with microfluidic chips for biomedical applications. The developed devices can be used to guide both the light source and optical signal in/out of the chip with high transmission performance. Several advantages such as lower optical loss, simplified fabrication and coupling process were observed and can be used to overcome the issues brought by the large-scale conventional counterparts. Moreover, a microfabricated flow cytometer and a capillary electrophoresis (CE) chip integrated with the developed optical waveguides and fibers have also been represented. After the minimization of the chip device, higher resolution and detection limit can be realized. Thus, the developed optical devices integrated with microfluidic chips can be a promising tool for biomedical applications.

Nanoplasmonic Sensing for Biomolecular Function Analysis [ 下載 PDF ]

Fan-Ching Chien, Kuo-Chih Chiu, Chun-Yu Lin, Jenq-Nan Yih, Shean-Jen Chen

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensing has become a standard practice in the investigation of biomolecular interaction analysis (BIA), because it is highly sensitive to the resonance condition on the sensing surface caused by environmental changes and do not require any extrinsic labeling. However, the detection limit of the conventional SPR biosensors is insufficient for the monitoring of low concentrations of small biomolecular analytes. In addition, the conventional SPR biosensor only can provide kinetic analysis information in the BIA. A more powerful biorecognition system is required not only to provide the kinetic analysis, but also to have the capability of monitoring biomolecular conformational and structural changes or trends. Therefore, in this study, nanoplasmonic technology was used to overcome three above challenges. First, patternized gold nanoparticle-enhanced plasmonic effects are utilized to manipulate particle plasmons or localized surface plasmons and enhance the biosensor sensitivity. The sensitivity of plasmonic biosensors was enhanced about 10-fold by controlling the size and volume fraction of the embedded Au nanoclusters in dielectric films. Furthermore, a coupled waveguide-surface plasmon resonance biosensor not only retains the same sensing sensitivity as that of a conventional SPR device, but also has the capability of monitoring biomolecular conformational change. Finally, with helps of attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced Raman scattering to detect the structural change of biomolecules, an advanced biomolecular recognition system with the three plasmonic techniques can provide more information in a variety of BIA. Therefore, the nanoplasmonic sensing will be a novel biosensing platform for biomolecular function analysis in fast diagnostics, drug discovery, and proteomics.

New Tendency in Lab-on-a-Chip－Droplet Controlling Bio-Chip [ 下載 PDF ]

Shun-Yuan Chen, Chih-Sheng Yu, Heng-Cang Hu, Yi-Chiuen Hu

Droplet controlling is an emerging microfluidics controlling technology with former superiority while applying to the field of the bio-chip, like simpler sequential control, less sample/reagent consumption, and the sole chip design may apply to different experimental demand and so on. In recent years, Instrument Technology Research Center (ITRC) had made an effort in this field, and developed 'lotus effect texture self-controlling chip' and 'electrowetting based digital microfluidics system' in succession. These technologies would have a good few help to the domestic industry.

Emerging Biosensor-Based Technology in the Field of Drug Discovery [ 下載 PDF ]

Yi-Pin Chang, Ming-Chung Tseng, Yen-Ho Chu

Biosensors, to date, have been not only employed in the early stages of drug discovery by screening potential targets and combinatorial libraries, but also moving down the pipeline and being used for significant quantitative measurements. From a drug development perspective, these thermodynamic and kinetic studies are essential for better understanding of receptor-ligand interactions, structureactivity relationships, and even preclinical tests which can beneficial for time and cost savings. During the last decade, surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based optical biosensors are being used extensively for biomolecular interaction analysis, in addition, another emerging biosensing technology, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) has also been introduced to achieve the aforementioned tasks. Despite recent advances of instrument sensitivity and data processing, working with small molecules and low affinity interactions remains a major challenge. As a result, we focus on applications of SPR and QCM biosensors for high-throughput screening and the acquisition of thermodynamic and kinetic parameters of different biding systems in this article.

Development and Application of Miniature Cell- Based Biosensors [ 下載 PDF ]

Yen-Ting Tsai Lin, Chia-Yin Yung, Hsiang-Ning Luk, Ching-Chou Wu

Recently, the biosensor that is fabricated by microfabrication techniques with a microfluidic control has widely attracted many attentions. In particular, the biosensor that uses the cells as a recognition element is developed to form a cell-function tested platform. By using the miniaturization fabrication and the microfluidic controls, the cell-based sensors possess the properties of high throughput detection, minim reagent requirement and the multi-function measurements. The principles of the cell-based biosensor are based on the measurement of cellular metabolism rate or the detection of membrane-potential changes. The functions of the cell-based sensor can be used to quantify the physiological responses of cells under the applications of extrinsic stimulations and practically estimate the effects of drug or toxicant molecules on a human body. In the review paper, the detection principles of cellular activity, the surface modification techniques of sensor substrate, and the design and applications of various miniature cell-based sensors will be described.

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Study of Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance of Gold Nanodot and Nanowire Arrays [ 下載 PDF ]

Yi-Jen Wu, Chien-Shuen Liao, Hsin-Yu Lin, Heh-Nan Lin

In recent years, extensive research activities are devoted to metal nanoparticles or nanostructures due to their applications as highly efficient chemical or biological sensors, nanophotonic devices, etc. This work utilizes atomic force microscopy nanolithography to fabricate gold nanodot and nanowire arrays on silicon substrates, and dark-field optical microscopy to investigate their localized surface plasmon resonance characteristics. For an obtained gold nanodot array, the average diameter is around 72 nm after thermal treatment, and the resonance peak in scattering spectrum is located at 548 nm. For the gold nanowire arrays, the thickness is 20 nm and the widths are ranging between 50 and 100 nm. The scattering spectra are composed of two resonance peaks in the blue and the red regions. It is also found that when the width is increased, the red peak experiences a red shift, whereas the blue peak remains unchanged. It is clear that the two peaks can be attributed to resonances along the thickness and width directions of the nanowires.

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Development of Soft Zoom Lens [ 下載 PDF ]

Wei-Cheng Lin, Chao-Chang Chen, Kuo-Cheng Huang, Shih-Feng Tseng

This research is to develop a novel zoom lens system with a soft polymer materials, PDMS, which can be controlled by pneumatic pressure to adapt its shape and curvature to change effective focal length. Optical design of such soft zoom lens has been accessed to decide the optical specifications. After the mechanical assembly of soft zoom lens, the effective focal length of soft zoom lens with PDMS sphere lens can reach from 10 to 15% as the pressure activated from 0 to 0.02 MPa. Experimental results show that the zoom effects of the developed soft zoom lens are significantly affected by the shape and thickness of PDMS soft lens.

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The Integrated Development of Biophotonics: Photodynamic Medicine as A Start [ 下載 PDF ]

Chin-Tin Chen

Biophotonics deals with the interactions of light and biological tissues. This enabling technology provides unprecedented opportunities for basic biological research, clinical medicine, pharmaceutical technology, agriculture, food and environmental sciences. In short, biophotonics is a key technology that can bridge many technologies. It is more than an end toward itself. Due to its multidisciplinary nature, its successful implementation critically relies on close collaboration among scientists from various disciplines.