University of California

Netzahualcoyotl Arroyo Curras

Hui Li

Francesco Ricci

Di Kang

Typical electrochemical sensors measure target-induced changes in current output. Such measures of target binding are inconsistent across individual sensors, and furthermore, signal will drift over time when the sensor is deployed for long periods. These shortcomings can be avoided by the novel use of chronoamperometry to measure current decay kinetics as the indicator of target binding. Current decay lifetimes will vary in a concentration dependent manner, but remain stable across individual sensors and over time, allowing for calibration-free operation. By these methods, aptamer based electrochemical sensors and other sensor types may be deployed in vivo for extended periods of time and will provide accurate measurement of target binding without calibration.

Calibration free in-vivo measurement of analytes using electrochemical sensors

The invention encompasses novel methods of operating electrochemical sensors such as aptamer-based sensors to analyze complex samples, such as flowing whole blood both in vitro or in vivo. In such environments, electrochemical sensors are often subject to drift, which complicates the interpretation of sensor output in terms of target concentration. The method of the invention utilizes a dual-reporter recognition element that generates a first, sensing current that is responsive to target binding and to environmental factors and a second, reference current that is only affected by environmental factors. The reference current provides information about environmentally-induced drift, which allows the drift effect to be subtracted out. By removing drift artifacts, electrochemical sensors may be deployed to analyze complex samples, such as whole blood, in vivo.

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Santa Barbara, CA, United States of America

Netzahualcoyotl Arroyo Curras