Danny OHareCo-founder, Medermica Ltd. / Leader, Bioengineering, Imperial College London

Microfabrication technology originally developed for the microelectronics industry has obvious applications in biosensing, offering the advantage of low cost, high precision, economies of scale and the potential for integration with signal conditioning and wireless communication. Multiple sensors offer the potential for sensing more than one analyte or for taking multiple readings from complex inhomogeneous biological systems.

Novel electrode materials (e.g. boron-doped diamond) and advanced signal processing techniques can to some extent overcome biocompatibility problems in specific situations. However, the problem of adsorption of spectator species such as matrix proteins is best tackled through the use of biocompatible membranes. We have studied several biocompatible membranes and compared their efficacy in terms of (i) their effect on the electrode reactions (ii) their ability to mitigate the effects of protein adsorption and (iii) the ability of endothelial cells to grow on the surface of the sensor. We have shown that fibronectin membranes have only modest effects on electrocatalysis and small solute diffusion and encourage cell growth yet are able to prevent biofouling.

Microfabricated electrode arrays were used to study NO release from endothelial cells exposed to the angiogenic factor, angiogenin. Selective inhibitors allowed elucidation of the important features of the biochemical pathways.