Unique distinctions of this design over other CNT based methods: complete isolation of the CNTs from chemical reactions concomitant with probe immobilization and target capture, and the CNTs functioning only as charge sensors.

Available for licensing and commercial development are: a) an apparatus containing microarray binding sensors having biological probe materials and carbon nanotube transistors (CNTs) and b) various methods of using the highly sensitive CNTs for the electronic detection of nucleic acid hybridization for performing microarray gene expression experiments and detection of DNA-DNA, DNA-RNA, Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) -DNA, PNA-RNA, DNA-protein or PNA-protein binding.  By analogy to the microarray concept, each transistor is associated with a distinct probe oligonucleotide.  Each transistor is operated as a field effect transistor (FET) and the transconductance between the source and drain electrodes is measured before and after a hybridization event.  The expected advantages are, besides higher sensitivity and ease of use, the elimination of chemical labeling and enzymatic manipulation and the further miniaturization.  The unique distinction of this design over other CNT based biomolecular sensing schemes is the complete isolation of the CNTs from chemical reactions concomitant with probe immobilization and target capture, and the CNTs functioning only as charge sensors.  In contrast, current methods rely on enzymatic amplification of nucleic acids, fluorescent labeled targets, hybridization, amplification of signal and detection by optical scanners, which are time consuming and have limited sensitivity.

 

Applications:

The apparatus and method can be used for numerous applications, among them: high-throughput monitoring of genome-wide DNA, mRNA copy number changes; sequencing of DNA; miRNA levels in cancer; or identifying targets of transcription factors.

 

Furthermore, given the intensity of effort in linking gene expression with diseases, it is only a matter of time before diagnosis and prognosis of certain ailments can be performed on the basis of gene expression.  At the present, most such analyses require costly apparatus and labor-intensive laboratory procedures.

 

Development Status:

In the process of developing prototypes.

 

Publications:

1. H Pandana, KH Aschenbach, D Lenski, M Fuhrer, J Khan, RD Gomez. A versatile biomolecular charge based sensor using oxide-gated carbon nanotube transistor arrays. IEEE Sens J., Special Issue, July 2008, in press.
2. K Aschenbach, H Pandana, J Lee, J Khan, M Fuhrer, D Lenski, RD Gomez. Detection of nucleic acid hybridization via oxide gated carbon nanotube field effect transistors (invited). Proceedings of SPIE MEMS and Nanotechnologies, Volume 6959 (2008), in press.

•    U.S. Patent Application No. 60/743,524 filed 17 Mar 2006 (HHS Reference No. E-056-2007/0-US-01)

•    PCT Application No. PCT/US2007/06809 filed 19 Mar 2007, which published as WO 2007/109228 on 27 Sep 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-056-2007/0-PCT-02)

•    U.S. Patent Application No. 11/723,369 filed 19 Mar 2007 (HHS Reference No. E-056-2007/0-US-03)

 

Inventors:

Javed Khan (NCI) et al.

Licensing Status:

Available for non-exclusive or exclusive licensing.

 

 

Collaborative Research Opportunity:

The Oncogenomics Section, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, is seeking statements of capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative research to further develop, evaluate, or commercialize electrical detection of nucleic acid and protein levels.  Please contact Javed Khan, M.D. at 301-435-2937 or khanjav@mail.nih.gov for more information.