Researchers at the University of Central Florida (UCF) claim to have created an integrated optical sensor that can detect dopamine directly from unprocessed blood samples.
According to the researchers, this sensor has the potential to become a low-cost and efficient screening tool for dopamine, a biomarker useful for the screening of certain cancers and neurological conditions.
The team, led by UCF NanoScience Technology Center Professor Debashis Chanda, believes that the rapid test will help in the early detection of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression.
Its research was funded by the US National Science Foundation, and was published in Science Advances.
The plasmonic sensor, crafted from a small gold pattern, utilises waves of electrons known as plasmons to enhance detection. When a molecule enters the sensor, it alters the electron movement and the light reflection from the sensor indicates the molecule’s presence.
The UCF-developed device employs a specially designed aptamer, a synthetic DNA strand, to detect dopamine. This approach makes the sensor more affordable and easier to store.
Additionally, it can help in the direct detection of dopamine from unprocessed blood, eliminating the need for sample preparation.
According to UCF, this advancement can support resource-limited settings, simplifying detection processes and facilitating the diagnosis of other conditions with the same technology.
The sensor’s active area is coated with an aptamer tailored to bind with a specific biomarker, allowing researchers to achieve precise molecule targeting.
Chanda said: “This plasmonic biosensor is extremely sensitive to low concentrations of biomolecules, which make them promising platform for specialised assays, point of care applications in remote locations.
“In this work, we demonstrated an all-optical, surface-functionalised plasmonic biosensing platform for the detection of low concentrations of neurotransmitter dopamine directly from diverse biological samples which includes protein solutions, artificial cerebrospinal fluid, and unprocessed whole blood.”
The new research advances the team’s earlier work on dopamine detection by replacing cerium oxide nanoparticles with DNA-based aptamers.
Furthermore, the upgrade enhances the sensor’s selectivity and broadens its applicability. It will also allow it to detect dopamine directly in various biological samples without requiring prior preparation.
