Guided mode resonance sensor for the parallel detection of multiple protein biomarkers in human urine with high sensitivity

The rising cost of global healthcare provision and new approaches to managing disease are driving the development of low-cost biosensing modalities, such as label-free photonic methods based on dielectric resonances. Here, we use the combined sensing and imaging capability of a guided mode resonance (GMR) sensor to detect multiple biomarkers (troponin, procalcitonin and C-Reactive Protein) in parallel in undiluted urine samples. A key requirement of such a biosensor is the simple and direct functionalization with suitable antibodies to ensure the disease-specific detection of protein biomarkers. Here, antibodies were immobilized using a succinimidyl-[(N-maleimidopropionamido)-hexaethyleneglycol] ester (SM(PEG)6) spacer. The polyethylene glycol (PEG) chemistry enables low detection limits of 10 pg mL-1 or better for all protein biomarkers, while minimizing non-specific binding compared to more commonly used strategies such as (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) or dextran. Our approach supports the vision of a simple yet highly sensitive diagnostic platform that could be used for pre-screening patients for a wide range of diseases at point-of-care, thereby relieving the pressure on overstretched healthcare services

Lipid layers as ultra-thin dielectric for highly sensitive ions field effect transistor sensors

Cette thèse vise à développer un capteur d’ions cuivre dans des échantillons humains tels que le plasma ou les urines où l’accumulation des ions induit la maladie de Wilson. Le manque d’outil de diagnostic efficace et non invasif rend cette maladie traitable, potentiellement fatale. Notre capteur, basé sur la technologie des transistors à effet de champ de type metal-oxide-semiconducteur, a l’originalité d’utiliser une monocouche de lipide de type DC8,9PC de 2.4 nm d’épaisseur comme diélectrique de grille. Nous démontrons dans cette thèse que ces lipides peuvent être chimiquement modifiés en de monocouches, à stabilité mécanique et électrique élevée, transformées en sondes spécifiques par greffage sur le groupement de tête des lipides d’une fonction chélatante spécifique aux ions cuivre. La monocouche lipidique est formée à la surface du canal semiconducteur du transistor par fusion vésiculaire et est stabilisée par réticulation des lipides suivant un protocole que nous avons développé. Dans une première partie, nous décrivons la fabrication du transistor ainsi que l’ingénierie chimique des lipides avec le chélateur. Des mesures, en solutions aqueuses contenant des ions cuivre et d’autres ions potentiellement compétiteurs, ont validé la sensibilité et la spécificité du capteur. La deuxième partie est dédiée à l’optimisation des monocouches en tant qu’isolants électriques stables. Nous introduisons dans cette thèse la notion de double polymérisation des lipides dans la monocouche avec réticulation des chaînes aliphatiques et des groupements de tête. Nous démontrons que celle-ci conduit à l’amélioration drastique des propriétés mécaniques et électriques des monocouches.This thesis aims at developing a sensor for the detection of Cu2+ in human samples such as urine. Copper is an ion of pathological interest in the body and its accumulation in tissues is responsible for the Wilson disease. While the disease can be effectively treated, the lack of efficient and non-invasive diagnosis techniques makes it potentially deadly. Our project aims for developing an efficient, sensitive, specific, and low cost sensor device based on metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor technology and has the originality of using a 2.4 nm thick monolayer of DC8,9PC lipids as gate dielectric. We demonstrate that such lipids can be chemically engineered to allow the fabrication of monolayers with high mechanical and electrical stability and to confer them specific probe function. Specificity of the sensor is given by the grafting of a copper specific chelator to the lipids head-groups. The lipid monolayer is formed on the transistor semiconducting channel by the vesicle fusion. In the first part of the thesis, we describe the fabrication of the transistor including the chemical engineering of the lipids with the chelator. Sensitivity and specificity measurements were realized in aqueous solutions containing copper ions and potentially competitive ions. The second part is dedicated to improving the performances of the lipid monolayer as a stable insulator. We introduce in this thesis the concept of double polymerization of the lipids in the monolayer with a reticulation at both the levels of their aliphatic chains and their head-groups. We demonstrate that that leads to drastic improvements of both the mechanical and electrical properties of the monolayer

On miniaturization of efficient ultrawideband printed quazi-Yagi antenna array for indoor applications

International audienceThis paper describes the design and analysis of a compact and efficient ultrawideband unidirectional printed antenna array for indoor applications.A12.2×6.3×1 cm antenna array is capable of covering an ultra-wide frequency band starting from LTE up to Wi-MAX with an average gain approaching 5 dBi over the entire bandwidth. In comparison with the already existing antenna systems in the wireless market for similar purposes, the proposed antenna has considerably better performance and supplementary compactness, which makes it competitive among other antenna models. Simulation results have also shown low cross polarization levels, where the sidelobe level was also minimized by introducing a special reflecting element in the designed model. Adopting the proposed antenna in indoor communication systems would surely enhance the quality of signal within the covered area as well as minimize the number of access points needed for a given network. © 2017, Allerton Press, Inc

Subpicomolar Iron Sensing Platform Based on Functional Lipid Monolayer Microarrays

International audienceWe report herein the fabrication of novel micro-arrays based on air-stable functional lipid monolayers over silicon using a combination of e-beam lithography and lift-off. We demonstrate these microarrays can be use as ultrasensitive platform for Kelvin probe force microscopy in sensing experiments. Specificity of the detection is given by the functional group grafted at the lipid headgroup. The arrays developed for the detection of ferric ions, Fe3+, using a gamma-pyrone derivative chelator, demonstrate subpicomolar limit of detection with high specificity. In addition, the technique takes advantage of the structure of the array with the silicon areas playing the role of reference for the measurement, and we determine critical pattern dimensions below which the probe size/shape impacts the measured results