Browsing by Author "Vulpe, Georgeta"
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- Alzheimer's diagnosis beyond cerebrospinal fluid: Probe-Free Detection of Tau Proteins using MXene based redox systems and molecularly imprinted polymersPublication . Arjum, Ajith Mohan; Deshpande, Sudhaunsh; Dunlop, Tom; Norman, Beth; Oliviera, Daniela; Vulpe, Georgeta; Moreira, Felismina; Sharma, SanjivPhosphorylated Tau proteins are promising biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of Alzheimer's disease. This study presents a novel voltametric sensor using a vanadium MXene polydopamine (VxPDA) redox active composite and a Tau-441-specific polyaniline molecularly imprinted polymer (PANI MIP) for the sensitive detection of Tau-441 in interstitial fluid (ISF) and plasma. The VxPDA/PANI MIP sensor demonstrates a broad detection range of 5 fg/mL to 5 ng/mL (122 aM/L to 122 pM/L) in ISF without the use of redox mediators, with a lower limit of detection (LOD) of 2.3 fg/mL (60 aM/L). Furthermore, a handheld device utilizing this technology successfully detects Tau-441 in artificial serum with high sensitivity (5 fg/mL to 150 fg/mL (122 aM/L to 366 aM/L)) and specificity within a clinically relevant range. The rapid detection time (∼32 min) and low cost (∼£20/device) of this sensor highlight its potential for minimally invasive, early AD diagnosis in clinical settings. This advancement aims to facilitate a transition away from invasive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-based diagnostic techniques for AD.
- A cork based substrate coupled with artificial antibodies for point-of-care detection of pro-inflammatory cytokine biomarkersPublication . Correia, Bárbara; Oliveira, Daniela; Vulpe, Georgeta; Tavares, Ana P. M.; Sales, M. Goreti F.; Duarte, Abel J.; Sharma, Sanjiv; Moreira, Felismina T. C.Whilst single use point of care testing (PoCT) devices have transformed healthcare globally, there are major concerns over their environmental consequences. These concerns could be addressed by employing devices made of environmentally friendly materials. Herein, we report on the use of cork based PoCT devices. Cork is known to be fully biodegradable and can be easily recycled without producing toxic residues. We report on how a cork-based substrate coupled with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) that serves as an “artificial antibody” can be used for point-of-care testing of the pro-inflammatory biomarker interleukin 6 (IL-6). The featured PoCT device has an electrochemical transducer that provides the desired clinical dynamic range for blood and can measure concentrations as low as 1 pg mL−1, indicating its usefulness in point of care measurements for monitoring pathological disorders, worldwide. In addition, it has a huge environmental impact as it can reduce the waste generated by other polymeric/ceramic carriers used for the same purpose.