Graphene Sensor Detects Cancer Risk Indicators

Researchers at Swansea University’s Centre for NanoHealth have developed a new sensor for rapid assessment of increased cancer risk.  The grapheme biosensor, which can be armed with bioreceptor molecules targeted at specific molecules in urine, saliva or blood, is said to be over five times more sensitive than other bioassay tests.

Using low pressure and very high temperatures, the research team were able to grow the large substrate area required to support the graphene devices on a substrate of silicon carbide. These were then patterned using methods similar to those adopted in semiconductor processing.

 In order to verify if the bioreceptor molecules were bound to the graphene biosensor, the researchers used Raman spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The biosensor was then exposed to various concentrations of the molecule 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG).

When high amounts of DNA damage occur, 8-OHdG is produced which is connected to a high risk of cancer development. Traditional detection tests, such as enzyme-linked immunobsorbant assays (ELISAs), are not capable of detecting the low concentrations of 8-OHdG present in urine.The graphene sensor had the capability to detect low concentrations of 8-OHdG at a comparatively faster rate.

Co-author of the study Dr Owen Guy, Swansea University said: “Graphene has superb electronic transport properties and has an intrinsically high surface-to-volume ratio, which make it an ideal material for fabricating biosensors.

“Now that we’ve created the first proof-of-concept biosensor using epitaxial graphene, we will look to investigate a range of different biomarkers associated with different diseases and conditions, as well as detecting a number of different biomarkers on the same chip.”

Published in IOP journal 2D Materials http://ilmt.co/PL/4N9 .