Public release date: 31-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Steven Schultz sschultz@princeton.edu 609-258-3617 Princeton University, Engineering School
A laboratory test used to detect disease and perform biological research could be made more than 3 million times more sensitive, according to researchers who combined standard biological tools with a breakthrough in nanotechnology.
The increased performance could greatly improve the early detection of cancer, Alzheimer's disease and other disorders by allowing doctors to detect far lower concentrations of telltale markers than was previously practical.
The breakthrough involves a common biological test called an immunoassay, which mimics the action of the immune system to detect the presence of biomarkers the chemicals associated with diseases. When biomarkers are present in samples, such as those taken from humans, the immunoassay test produces a fluorescent glow (light) that can be measured in a laboratory. The greater the glow, the more of the biomarker is present. However, if the amount of biomarker is too small, the fluorescent light is too faint to be detected, setting the limit of detection. A major goal in immunoassay research is to improve the detection limit.
The Princeton researchers tackled this limitation by using nanotechnology to greatly amplify the faint fluorescence from a sample. By fashioning glass and gold structures so small
"This advance opens many new and exciting opportunities for immunoassays and other detectors, as well as in disease early detection and treatment," said Stephen Chou, the Joseph C. Elgin Professor of Engineering, who led the research team. "Furthermore, the new assay is very easy to use, since for the person conducting the test, there will be no difference from the old one they do the procedure in exactly the same way."
The researchers published their results in two recent journal articles. One, published May 10 in Nanotechnology, describes the physics and engineering of the fluorescence-enhancing material. The other, published April 20 in Analytical Chemistry, demonstrates the effect in immunoassays. In addition to Chou, the authors include post-doctoral researchers Weihua Zhang, Liangcheng Zhou and Jonathan Hu and graduate students Fei Ding, Wei Ding, Wen-Di Li and Yuxuan Wang.
The work was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency and the National Science Foundation.
The key to the breakthrough lies in a new artificial nanomaterial called D2PA, which has been under development in Chou's lab for several years. D2PA is a thin layer of gold nanostructures surrounded glass pillars just 60 nanometers in diameter. (A nanometer is one billionth of a meter; that means about 1,000 of the pillars laid side by side would be as wide as a human hair.) The pillars are spaced 200 nanometers apart and capped with a disk of gold on each pillar. The sides of each pillar are speckled with even tinier gold dots about 10 to 15 nanometers in diameter. In previous work, Chou has shown that this unique structure boosts the collection and transmission of light in unusual ways -- in particular, a 1 billion-fold increase in an effect called surface Raman scattering. The current work now demonstrates a giant signal enhancement with fluorescence.
View original post here:
Nanotechnology breakthrough could dramatically improve medical tests
- Electronic Materials Company Cambrios Announces Closing $14.5 Million Round - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Europe's 'Extreme light infrastructure' project gears up for launch - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Industrial nanotechnology processes getting closer - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Konsultation zum Austria Nano-Aktionsplan - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Bewegungen von Viren auf Membranen live verfolgen - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Thailand Nanotechnology Conference on health, energy, environment - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Samsung Intensifies Advanced Foundry Logic Process Development with New Semiconductor Research Center - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Infineon and TSMC to Jointly Develop 65nm Embedded Flash Process Technology For Automotive and Chip Card Applications - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Abraxis Health Dedicates State of the Art Nanotechnology and Biologics Facility in Phoenix, Arizona - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Beneq Announces The First Continous Mode Atomic Layer Deposition Research Tool - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- An electron microscope with glasses - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Give your opinion on the Nanotechnology Research Code of Conduct - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Presentations from the OECD Conference on the Potential Environmental Benefits of Nanotechnology - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- DFI Nanotechnology Expands Into China With Strategic Alliance in Hong Kong - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Pre-announcement: Call for proposals within 'Energy Efficiency with Nanotechnology' - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- This week in nanotechnology - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- New funding for development and deployment of UAlbany nanofabrication strategies - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Applied Materials Acquires the Assets of Advent Solar - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Advanced Researcher Grant 2009 an Nanowissenschaftlerin Luisa de Cola - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Ocean Optics Launches Dedicated OEM Website - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- New synthetic molecules trigger immune response to HIV and prostate cancer - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Computer predicts reactions between molecules and surfaces, with 'chemical precision' - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Austria showcases its nanotechnology initiative - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Nanocapsules for artificial photosynthesis - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Work begins on laboratory for world's strongest microscope - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- New cancer detection method with fluorescent silica beads - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Die Magnetisierung einzelner Atome manipulieren - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Novel nanoparticles could become a safer alternative to gene therapy delivered by viruses - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- DOE awards Argonne, partners more than $7 million for solar energy-related research projects - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Magnetic nanoparticles to simultaneously diagnose, monitor and treat - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Study of ultracold atoms proves theory about universal quantum mechanism - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- RUSNANO Supervisory Council approves nanostructured non-metallic coatings project - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Julian Wess Award for outstanding achievements in elementary particle and astroparticle physics - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- New Pegasus300 Sold to Leading French Research Institute for CMOS Packaging - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Soitec Expands Into the Fast Growing Solar Energy Market With the Acquisition of Concentrix Solar - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Students send microbe nanobiotechnology experiment on Space Shuttle Atlantis - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Photovoltaic cells to power biological nanorobots inside the body - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Environmental and human health impacts of nanotechnology - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Elusive 'hot' electrons captured in ultra-thin solar cells - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Light-generating transistors to power labs on chips - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Combining rare-earth clusters with traditional metal catalysts reveals secrets of chemical transformation - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Hexagon Expands Its Offering in the Vision Metrology Business - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Azaya Therapeutics Receives FDA Authorization to Start Phase I Cancer Trial - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Researchers engineer bacteria to turn carbon dioxide into liquid fuel - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Argonne creates green home for world-class nanotechnology research - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- The mechanism behind superinsulation may lead to new types of electronics - December 13th, 2009 [December 13th, 2009]
- Biosensors change color when they detect specific neural messages - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- First measurement of cancer biomarkers in whole blood - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Nanoprobes hit targets in tumors, could lessen chemo side effects - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- EYP/energy group joins UAlbany NanoCollege's National Institute for Sustainable Energy - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Scientists isolate new antifreeze molecule in Alaska beetle - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Ocean Optics XR-Series Spectrometers Cover 200-1050 nm Wavelengths - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- All-in-one cancer-killing nanoparticle can be tracked in real time with MRI - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Nanobodies modifizieren die Form und Funktion von Proteinen - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. to Join Leica Microsystems' Parent Company Board of Directors - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- France to invest billions in nanotechnology - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- AlphaRx Appoints President for its China Operations - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Vistec Enters Into Electron-Beam Lithograpy Project With Moscow University - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Record-breaking ultrasensitive spectrometer identifies trace gases in real time - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- NanoMech Receives Navy Contract to Develop Nanotechnology Lubricant - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Heart cells display a behavior-guiding 'nanosense' on new lab-on-a-chip - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- New curriculum mixes nanotechnology and skiing - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Rexahn and TheraTarget Form Nanotechnology Research Collaboration - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Unidym Enters Agreement to Integrate Carbon Nanotube Films Into LCDs - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Carl Zeiss Meditec Closes Financial Year on a High - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- The Scott Partnership Appointed to Launch Innovative New Printed Electronics Business - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- New Centre for Molecular Epidemiology to put bacteria on the world map - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- New nanotechnology association established to address 21st century natural resource and energy security challenges - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- Analysis of information gathering initiatives on manufactured nanomaterials - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- OECD publishes manufactured nanomaterials roadmap 2010 - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- New imaging technique allows quick evaluation of graphene sheets - December 14th, 2009 [December 14th, 2009]
- National Institute of Standards and Technology invests up to $71 million in new manufacturing, infrastructure research and development - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Southwest Nanotechnologies Recieves Two Prestigious Research Grants To Deveop A New Generation of Carbon Nanotubes - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Nanolithographic technique allows multiple chemicals on a single chip - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Study documents puzzling movement of electricity-producing bacteria near energy sources - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Erstmals Daten aus lebenden Zellen: Optisches Verfahren misst molekulare Reaktionszeiten - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- New Constant Diameter NeedleProbes with Unique Ability to Measure Liquid Surface Properties by AFM - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Chemical Nanotechnology Talks X: Green nano - challenges of sustainability - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- Patents Issued for Licensed PAL-M Super-resolution Technology - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]
- International Network CONTACT researches the use of carbon nanotubes in various applications - December 16th, 2009 [December 16th, 2009]