Accelerated and sensitive detection of (bio)chemical analytes through active capture on Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) chips

Surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is emerging as a promising technique for rapid, ultrasensitive and highly specific (bio)chemical detection. SERS has been successfully used for the detection of minute quantities of illicit drugs, food contaminants, environmental pollutants, even bacteria and viruses. Unfortunately, like most other surface-based detection methods, SERS also suffers from the same bottleneck, namely the slow transport of the target analyte from the bulk of the sample to the detection surface (also known as sampling). The purpose of this Mitacs internship is to develop a SERS-based methodology that overcomes the limitations imposed by a slow sampling process. Using our patent-pending technology for making “smart’ SERS substrates, and working closely with Spectra Plasmonics, the intern will develop experimental testing protocols for accelerated sampling and detection of target molecules from liquid samples. An ultrasensitive SERS substrate that can rapidly and selectively capture and identify a unknown molecules from a complex sample will be an enormous advancement to the state-of-the-art of analytical detection methods.

Faculty Supervisor:

Aristides Docoslis

Student:

Shamimeh Azimi

Partner:

Spectra Plasmonics Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Manufacturing

University:

Queen's University