Click Here to See an Animation of How BioDetect Works
SEM of a metalized DNA bridge
How BioDetect Works
The BioDetect platform works by electronically detecting the binding of a target DNA molecule to sensors on the surface of a microchip. The target molecule forms a bridge between two electrically isolated wires. In order to create a strong, noise-free signal, the bound target molecules are chemically developed to form conductive DNA wires.
These DNA wires "turn on" a sensor much like an on/off switch. INT designs and manufactures each chip to house multiple sensors, which can be independently addressed with capture probes for different target DNA molecules from the same or different organisms. Each sensor has hundreds of interdigitated wires that are electrically separated from each other. Using a proprietary process, INT attaches capture probes to each of the sensors on the chip.
Since the efficiency of the sensor is directly tied to the number of capture probes available, INT's chips have billions of capture probes per sensor, which greatly improves sensitivity. To form detectable DNA wires, target DNA molecules first form a bridge spanning the gap between the sensor wires. The final step in the detection process is to metallize the DNA bridge to form a DNA wire. After metallization, bridges can be readily detected by measuring the electrical properties of the sensor.
To view an animation of this process, click here.
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