Use of disposable electrodes on the development of biosensors for cancer biomarkers detection

Abstract

The determination of different tumor biomarkers may aid in early diagnosis of disease and the identification of the cause, leading to a personalized treatment of the patient. Tumor biomarkers are substances present in tumor, blood or other fluids, as urine and saliva, produced primarily by the tumor itself or secondarily by other organs as a response to the presence of tumor. One possibility for the detection of biomarkers present in the serum involves the use of biosensors and it presents numerous advantages, such as high specificity of affinity reactions, speed, requiring small sample volumes, among others. The objective of this proposal is the development of disposable biosensors for determining cancer biomarkers. During postdoctoral, it is intended the development of immunosensors and / or genosensors through immobilization of specific antibodies and DNA probes for protein biomarkers related to breast cancer, such as estrogen receptors (ER) and HER2. The detection will be performed using specific labeled antibodies that will interact with the biomarkers and provide an electrochemical response on the electrodes. If the determination of both biomarkers with low detection limits have success, the method may help in the early breast cancer diagnosis and also for monitoring patients hospitalized, in a quickly and inexpensively manner.