Integration of a Droplet-Based Microfluidic System and Silicon Nanoribbon FET Sensor.

We present a novel microfluidic system that integrates droplet microfluidics with a silicon nanoribbon field-effect transistor (SiNR FET), and utilize this integrated system to sense differences in pH. The device allows for selective droplet transfer to a continuous water phase, actuated by dielectrophoresis, and subsequent detection of the pH level in the retrieved droplets by SiNR FETs on an electrical sensor chip. The integrated microfluidic system demonstrates a label-free detection method for droplet microfluidics, presenting an alternative to optical fluorescence detection.

Rational design and application of a redox-active, photoresponsive, discrete metallogelator.

A photoresponsive discrete metallogelator was rationally designed by incorporating a photochromic azobenzene subunit in the structure of a redox-active ferrocene-peptide conjugate. The target molecule was purposefully equipped with a dipeptide unit capable of self-assembly in response to sonication. The designed molecule was shown to undergo supramolecular self-assembly and achieve organogelation in response to ultrasound, light, heat, and redox signals.

Impedance based detection of pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 using a ferrocene-antimicrobial peptide modified biosensor.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 can cause life-threatening gastrointestinal diseases and has been a severe public health problem worldwide in recent years. A novel biosensor for the detection of E. coli O157:H7 is described here using a film composed of ferrocene-peptide conjugates, in which the antimicrobial peptide magainin I has been incorporated as the biorecognition element.

Small-peptide-based organogel kit: towards the development of multicomponent self-sorting organogels.

The results presented here highlight the extremely useful nature of ultra-short peptides as building blocks in the development of smart multicomponent supramolecular devices. A facile bottom-up strategy for the synthesis of a small library of stimuli-responsive smart organogelators has been proposed based on the predictive self-assembly of ultra-short peptides. More importantly, the narcissistic self-sorting of the gelators has been evaluated as a simple method for the efficient co-assembly of a donor-acceptor dual-component gel, allowing the investigation of possible future applications of similar systems in the development of a supramolecular photo-conversion device.