Dual‐Channel Interdigitated Aptamer‐Based Sensors for Rapid Small‐Molecule Detection in Biofluids
Abstract
ABSTRACT Timely and decentralized quantification of small‐molecule biomarkers is essential for point‐of‐care (POC) diagnostics, but their reliable detection in biofluids remains challenging. Here, we introduce an engineered electrochemical aptamer sensing platform that employs a dual‐channel signal conversion strategy to overcome these limitations. By integrating spatially separated interdigitated working electrodes with selective self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) removal, the system enables target‐induced release and recapture of methylene blue‐labeled complementary DNA (MB‐cDNA) probes across two electrodes. This configuration minimizes background interference and enhances mass transport, facilitating robust dual‐channel signal transduction. The platform enables rapid (≤ 30 min), low‐volume (30 µL) detection of prototypical small molecules, dopamine and cortisol, in diverse biofluids, including artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF), human serum, and saliva. Notably, the signal conversion mechanism remained effective across different targets and sample types, requiring only minimal adaptation of the recognition sequence. Together, these features establish a versatile electrochemical sensing architecture with broad potential for rapid, quantitative small‐molecule analysis in complex biological media.
Article Details
Authors (13)
Senyao Wang
Ali Elmorsy
Laboratory of Chemical Nanotechnology (CHEMINA) École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Geneva Switzerland
Defne Tüzün
Neuroelectronics, Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology Technical University of Munich Garching Germany
Lilly Schmidt
Neuroelectronics, Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology Technical University of Munich Garching Germany
Sebastian Freko
Neuroelectronics, Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology Technical University of Munich Garching Germany
Lukas Hiendlmeier
Neuroelectronics, Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology Technical University of Munich Garching Germany
Chen Wang
Alonso Ingar Romero
Neuroelectronics, Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology Technical University of Munich Garching Germany
George Al Boustani
Neuroelectronics, Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology Technical University of Munich Garching Germany
Hu Peng
Berna Özkale
Microrobotic Bioengineering Lab Department of Electrical Engineering TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology Technical University of Munich Garching Germany
Nako Nakatsuka
Laboratory of Chemical Nanotechnology (CHEMINA) École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) Geneva Switzerland
Bernhard Wolfrum
Neuroelectronics, Munich Institute of Biomedical Engineering Department of Electrical Engineering TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology Technical University of Munich Garching Germany