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Xiaodi Su

Publications and source records attributed to Xiaodi Su.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Covalent DNA immobilization on polymer-shielded silver-coated quartz crystal microbalance using photobiotin-based UV irradiation.

The use of a commercial, silver-coated quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) as a disposable, low-cost, and reliable DNA sensor is presented. This is an incorporation of polymer-based silver electrode shielding and photochemistry-based surface modification for covalent DNA immobilization. To prevent undesired oxidation, the silver electrodes are coated with thin polystyrene films. The polymer surfaces are then modified by a photoreactive biotin derivative (photobiotin) under UV irradiation. The resulting biotin residues on the polymer-shielded surface react with a tetrameric avidin. Consequently a biotin-labeled DNA probe can be immobilized through a biotin-avidin-biotin bridge. A 14-mer single-stranded biotin-DNA probe and a 70-mer single-stranded DNA fragment containing complementary or noncomplementary sequences are used as a model system for DNA hybridization assay on the proposed sensors. The shielding ability of the polystyrene coatings after photo irradiation is investigated. The DNA probe binding capacity, hybridization efficiency, and kinetics are also investigated.

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Quartz tuning fork biosensor.

The use of quartz tuning forks for biosensor applications is investigated. The basis of the sensor is to coat the tuning fork surfaces with specific biomolecules and measure subsequent mass loading from the selective binding of complementary analytes. Two experimental set-ups are evaluated, direct mechanical excitation and self-excitation. Mechanical excitation is achieved by mounting the fork on a piezoelectric plate and it is found that the change in oscillation amplitude on adsorption can be monitored to give the change in mass. However, a major drawback is that the sensitivity is determined by the Q-factor, which varies significantly between different sensors and different experimental arrangements. In self-excitation mode, tuning fork motion is activated and detected by placing the fork within a tuned circuit. Using self-excitation mode, anti-human IgG modified tuning forks can sense the binding of human IgG in the range of 5-100 microg ml(-1). The significance of this study is that quartz tuning forks are routinely made using standard microfabrication process, thus suggesting the possibility of facile microfabrication of arrays of quartz sensors.

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