Abstract

Smart Thermometers: Screening for Biomarkers Using Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) Combined with Thermal Detection

Marloes Peeters, Deputy Director of Chemical Engineering, Newcastle University

Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIPs) are synthetic antibody mimics: similar to antibodies they possess high affinity for a chosen template molecule. However, they have distinct advantages over their natural counterparts such as low-cost, superior chemical and thermal stability, and straightforward production process. In this contribution, we will discuss the use of nanoMIPs that are synthesized via a solid-phase approach. The high affinity nanoparticles prepared by this technique are water-soluble, meaning it is simple to directly functionalize them onto thermocouples via dipcoating. These functionalized thermocouples were subsequently inserted into a home-made heat-transfer device that measures the temperature of the liquid in a flow cell. It was shown that binding of the target to the MIP layer increased the resistance at the solid-liquid interface, leading to a lower temperature being recorded by the functionalized thermocouple. With this method, it was possible to measure various compounds, ranging from small targets such as the antibiotic vancomycin to larger biomarkers such as troponin, in the low nanomolar regime in buffered solutions. The sensitivity was significantly enhanced by using standard EDC coupling to covalently attach the nanoparticles to the surface, allowing to control the surface architecture. Finally, the design of the current flow cell was adjusted to incorporate four thermocouples, demonstrating the first multiplex format of this sensor platform. In this presentation, a case study on the detection of cardiac biomarkers, including troponin, will be discussed.