Point-of-care biosensing for rapid and precise biomolecular diagnostics

The development and implementation of Point-of-Care (POC) diagnostics represent a significant advancement in medical technology, revolutionizing the disease management by providing rapid, reliable, and accurate diagnostic results directly at the site of patient care. This thesis focuses on overcoming key challenges in POC diagnostics, specifically the detection of proteins, nucleic acids, and intact viruses, with the goal of enhancing the sensitivity, specificity, and practicality of these systems using nanoparticle (NP)-coupled photonic crystal (PC) biosensors. By leveraging the enhanced absorption properties of plasmonic NPs through plasmonic-photonic coupling, the system allows for each captured NP on the PC surface to be digitally counted. This integration facilitates single-molecule detection of biomarkers, significantly advancing the capabilities of diagnostic tools available at the POC. Key contributions of this work include: • The development of a rapid, precise digital immunoassay for COVID-19 antibodies using a PRAM-based system, simplifying the detection process while maintaining high sensitivity and specificity. • The development of blocking biosensor assay capable of detecting SARS-CoV-2 anti-N across a diverse range of species, improving the versatility and reach of viral diagnostics. • The application of magnetic plasmonic nanoparticles in a novel assay that significantly accelerate the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. • The utilization of a Microbeads Oligonucleotide Orbiting Nanoparticle (MOON) system for the precise detection of the EGFR L858R mutation, showcasing potential for targeted genetic diagnostics. • The integration of microfluidic technology with smartphone-based analysis for the detection of the Zika virus, demonstrating an adaptable and efficient approach for field diagnostics. • The development of a compact fluorimeter, namely V-Pod, for the detection of intact SARS-CoV-2 virus, providing a user-friendly, self-testing device for POC applications. These advancements represent a significant shift towards more accessible, rapid, and sensitive POC diagnostics. By simplifying complex diagnostic procedures into more user-friendly formats while remaining the same level of sensitivity, these innovations have the potential to significantly improving patient management and health outcomes.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Bioengineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2024

Author dc:creator

• Wang, Weijing

Contributors dc:contributor

• Cunningham, Brian T
• Fang, Ying
• Wang, Xing
• Valera Cano, Enrique Andres

• Point-of-care
• Photonic Crystal
• Gold Nanoparticles
• Protein Detection
• Antibody Detection
• Nucleic Acid Detection
• Ctdna Detection
• Virus Detection

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2024 Weijing Wang

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/124556

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F124556