Thiol-click photochemistry for surface functionalization applied to optical biosensing.

In the field of biosensing, suitable procedures for efficient probes immobilization are of outmost importance. Here we present different light-based strategies to promote the covalent attachment of thiolated capture probes (oligonucleotides and proteins) on different materials and working formats. One strategy employs epoxylated surfaces and uses the light to accomplish the ring opening by a thiol moiety present in a probe.

Modulating receptor-ligand binding in biorecognition by setting surface wettability.

Modulation of support wettability used for microarray format biosensing has led to an improvement of results. Hydrophobicity of glass chips was set by derivatizing with single vinyl organosilanes of different chain length and silane mixtures. Thiol-ene photochemical linking has been used as effective chemistry for covalent anchoring of thiolated probes.

INSEL: an in silico method for optimizing and exploring biorecognition assays.

A practical in silico method for optimizing and exploring biointeraction-based events is developed.

High density microarrays on Blu-ray discs for massive screening.

The potential and the capabilities of Blu-ray technology (discs and drives) for massive screening applications are presented. High density microarrays are fabricated onto a Blu-ray disc and applied for the determination of microcystin residues and pathogenic microorganisms. Specific probes were physisorbed onto the BD surface and the biorecognition event was displayed using labeled secondary antibody solution and subsequent signal amplification.

Advanced homogeneous-heterogeneous immunosensing format employing restricted access supports.

A rapid immunosensing methodology that employs the so-called homogeneous-heterogeneous assay mode is presented. The immunosensor is based on the homogeneous competition among the analyte, a fluorescent tracer, and the antibody, followed by separation of free and bound species by means of a restricted access alkyl-diol silica C18 reversed-phase chromatographic support. In order to develop a general labeling methodology, fluorescent tracers are synthesized from oligonucleotides covalently bound to the hapten in 3' position and the marker in 5'.

Glyphosate immunosensor. Application for water and soil analysis.

A fully automated immunosensor for the herbicide glyphosate has been developed on the basis of the immunocomplex capture assay protocol. The sensor carries out on-line analyte derivatization prior to the assay and uses a selective anti-glyphosate serum, a glyphosate peroxidase enzyme tracer, and fluorescent detection. Under optimal conditions, the detection limit achieved is 0.

Rapid immunoanalytical method for the determination of atrazine residues in olive oil.

A sensitive, simple and reliable method has been developed for the determination of atrazine in extra virgin olive oil. The analytical procedure involves direct extraction of the target analyte from oil matrix with methanol and a freezing clean-up step (-80 degrees C) followed by plate or sensor immunoassay determination. A detection limit of 0.