Bio- for Measurement and identification, the of a generated acoustic wave, clinical laboratory requires eliminating pump valves and rapid, sensitive, accurate diffusers. The microsensor Product: Microfluidics Bio- measurement of biomarkers in generates shear horizontal Sensor blood samples surface acoustic waves (SH- Development Stage: Presently, enzyme-linked SAW) that are perturbed by Proof of Concept Complete immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) protein binding, changing the using biomarker are substrate mass and altering the Primary Inventor: Massood the standard for clinical analysis SH-SAW associated electrical Atashbar PhD, Professor, of disease biomarkers. Although field. The microsensor utilizes Electr & Comput Engr Dept sensitive, ELISAs are slow and single wall carbon nanotubes License Status: laborious, taking many hours to (SWNT), functionalized with Available for licensing complete, requiring labeled, antibodies or complementary detection and a oligonucleotides to bind the Patent Status: Granted, US significant amount of blood target biomarker with high 8,510,056 sample. specificity. Reference: 2006-002 The Bio-Sensor Microsystem Technology Description accurately measures low Contact: Dr. Atashbar has developed a picomolar quantities of Steve Weber Ph.D. Bio-Sensor Microsystem for biomolecules in a blood sample [email protected] detecting blood-borne as small as 10 µl. Miniaturizing 269 387-8282 biomolecules. This integrated biomarker assays using this system incorporates; a device offers many advantages, micropump for delivering a including requiring less sample sample to the microsensor, a and reagents, short reaction microcontroller for regulating times, high sensitivity, the micropump, a microheater portability, and no external for maintaining the valves, pumps or hoses. In temperature of the sample, a addition, no labeled, detector microsensor for detecting the molecules are required for Numerous biomarkers are presence of a target biomarker sensitive and accurate now available for identification in the sample, and a signal biomarker measurement. of complex and heterogenic processor for analyzing the , such as cancers, along microsensor signal. with biomarkers that are linked The micropump is based on (continued on next page) to different stages of disease acoustic streaming, in which progression. For screening the fluid flows in the direction

Microfluidic Bio-Sensor for Biomarker Measurement ♦ Western Michigan University Technology and Innovation Advancement ♦ page 1

Potential Benefits • Single unit that pumps, heats and measures • Instantaneous measurement of a blood-borne target molecules in sample volumes as small biomarker down to low picomolar as 10 µl concentrations

• • Uses functionalized SWNTs for highly specific No labeled detector molecules are required binding of target biomarkers for biomarker measurement

Microfluidic Bio-Sensor for Biomarker Measurement ♦ Western Michigan University Technology and Innovation Advancement ♦ page 2