UAEU Research Team Fabricates Graphite Oxide-based Field-Effect Transistor Biosensor for the Purpose of Real-time Detection of COVID-19
Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) spreads an extremely infectious disease where there is
no specific treatment. COVID-19 virus had a rapid and unexpected spread rate which
resulted in critical difficulties for public health and unprecedented daily life disruption. The UAEU research team from the College of Engineering, Science, and Medicine designed
a graphite oxide-based field-effect transistor (GO-FET) sensor. The biosensor was fabricated
and functionalized with COVID-19 antibody for the purpose of real-time detection of
COVID-19 spike protein antigen.
The biosensor graphite oxide channel was immobilized with specific antibodies against the COVID-19 spike protein to achieve selectivity and specificity. This technique uses the attractive semiconductor characteristics of the graphite oxide-based materials resulting in highly specific and sensitive detection of COVID-19 spike protein. The GO-FET biosensor was decorated with bimetallic nanoparticles of platinum and palladium to investigate the improvement in the sensor sensitivity.
The in-house developed biosensor limit of detection (LOD) is 1 fg/mL of COVID-19 spike antigen in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Moreover, magnetic labelled SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody were studied to investigate any enhancement in the sensor performance. The results indicate the successful fabrication of a promising field effect transistor biosensor for COVID-19 diagnosis. The GO-FET biosensors can be fabricated using a simple, low-cost methodology.
Functionalization of the GO- FET biosensor with anti-COVID-19 S-protein antibody provided a rapid, simple, and responsive detection of the COVID-19 S-protein in a test solution at a concentration as low as 1 fg/mL. In contrast, no specific signals were detectable over the wide range of COVID-19 spike protein concentrations when the GO-FET biosensor was functionalized with MERS antibody.
The newly developed GO-FET biosensor provides a rapid, responsive, and simple methodology for the detection of COVID-19 spike antigen and can potentially be used for the detection of COVID-19 viruses in biological samples. This detection technology can be adapted for the detection of other types of viral and bacterial antigens, as well as biomarkers of various diseases.
The research team consists of Prof. Falah Awwad and Dr. Asma Wasfi from the College of Engineering, Prof. Naser Qamhieh, Dr. Badria Al Murshidi and Mr. Abdul Rasheed Palakkott from the College of Science and Prof. Juri George Gelovani from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences.
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