BioMEMS Devices and Biosensor Technology

Biological MicroElectroMechanical Systems (BioMEMS) devices and biosensors have become an important tool for detection of chemical and biological components for clinical, food and environmental monitoring. We have investigated a variety of micro/nano fabrication technologies, including soft lithography, electrochemical etching, and deep reactive ion etching (DRIE), to fabricate novel biological microelectromechanical systems (BioMEMS) devices for bioanalysis application, such as nucleic acid (NA) extraction (Fig. A), DNA electrophoresis separation and toxic gas analysis (Fig. B). We also have a long history in developing a variety of biosensors, including surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor, electrochemical biosensor (i.e., potentiometric, amperometric and conductometric). For example, we have combined microfluidics technology with SPR biosensors and developed high throughput, label-free real time SPR imaging system (Fig. C) and portable SPR bioanalyzer. The relevant technologies have been licensed to biotechnology companies. We are investigating novel nanoplasmonic biosensing devices for foodborne pathogen detection.