SensNews May 2107

Sensor100

May 2017

Antibody BiosensorTracks Drug Concentration in the

Blood by Changing Its Color

Being able to monitor drug concentration in the blood of a patient is an important

aspect of any pharmaceutical treatment. However, this requires equipment and facilities

that are often missing from field healthcare in developing countries, but also inhibits

the quality of life for patients elsewhere. EPFL scientists, working through their startup

LUCENTIX, have now developed an antibody-linked biosensor that can track drug

concentration in the blood by changing its color.The biosensor is incorporated into a

full system that can be used in the field or by patients at home.The lab of Kai Johnsson

at EPFL is known for developing biosensors, and the research gave birth to the startup

LUCENTIX, which has developed a biosensor that allows patients to easily measure

drug concentrations in their system without need for complex lab systems.

The biosensor is a molecule made up of three components: First, a protein that can

bind the drug to be monitored. Second, the light-producing enzyme luciferase.And

third, a “tagging” molecule called SNAP-tag, which carries a fluorescent ligand that

the protein (the first component) recognizes and binds when no drug is present.This

causes a reaction between the luciferase and the fluorescent molecule called “biolumi-

nescent resonance energy transfer” (BRET), which produces a red light.

17 May