In this lecture, we see how biosensors use transducers, devices that can translate presence of analyte into a physically measurable signal, to detect different analytes. The tranducers are chosen based off of the application intended. The output of these tranducers is collected by an instrument that can record/report/process the measurement. However, once in the body, the biosensors have problems that they face. These include the immune system, temperature, drift (when material for biosensor absorbs something changing its output), and sources of noise are all things that need to be taken into consideration.

From Dr. Cunningham's ECE Profile
My research group is focused on the application of sub-wavelength optical phenomena and fabrication methods to the development of novel devices and instrumentation for the life sciences. The group is highly interdisciplinary, with expertise in the areas of microfabrication, nanotechnology, computer simulation, instrumentation, molecular biology, and cell biology. In particular, we are working on biosensors based upon photonic crystal concepts that can either be built from low-cost flexible plastic materials, or integrated with semiconductor-based active devices, such as light sources and photodetectors, for high performance integrated detection systems.

Using a combination of micrometer-scale and nanometer-scale fabrication tools, we are devising novel methods and materials for producing electro-optic devices with nanometer-scale features that can be scaled for low-cost manufacturing. Many of our techniques are geared for compatibility with flexible plastic materials, leading to applications such as low cost disposable sensors, wearable sensors, flexible electronics, and flexible displays. Because our structures manipulate light at a scale that is smaller than an optical wavelength, we rely on computer simulation tools such as Rigorous Coupled Wave Analysis (RCWA) and Finite Difference Time Doman (FDTD) to model, design, and understand optical phenomena within photonic crystals and related devices.

In addition to fabricating devices, our group is also focused on the design, prototyping, and testing of biosensor instrumentation for high sensitivity, portability, and resolution. Advanced instruments enable high resolution imaging of biochemical and cellular interactions with the ability to monitor images of biochemical interactions as a function of time. Using the sensors and instrumentation, we are exploring new applications for optical biosensor technology including protein microarrays, biosensor/mass spectrometry systems, and microfluidics-based assays using nanoliter quantities of reagents. The methods and systems developed in the laboratory are applied in the fields of life science research, drug discovery, diagnostic testing, and environmental monitoring.

Dr. Cunningham's Research Group

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

• Brian Cunningham, George Daley (2021), "[Illinois] ECE 416 Introduction to Biosensors II," https://nanohub.org/resources/16708.

  BibTex | EndNote

1. biology
2. biophysics
3. biosensors/sensing
4. design
5. e
6. electrical engineering
7. engineering
8. medicine
9. NanoBio Node at Illinois
10. noise
11. sensors/sensing
12. signal processing