These proteins are used as biomarkers of severe pathologies including cancer, but their detection is difficult due to their relatively low abundance. Often present in glycosylated form they form complexes with lipids in order to be transported in the blood. A lipidic environment is thus an appropriate environment for a biosensor, also including the capturing antibody, to detect all biomarkers bound to protein/lipid complexes in blood samples.

A proof of concept biosensor utilising tBLM connected to an Impedance Spectroscopy was developed recently for the detection of a glycosylate protein cancer biomarker soluble VE-cadherin (sVE) by utilizing a tBLM produced by SDx Tethered Membranes Pty Ltd. The goal for this PhD project is the nanostructural characterisation of the interaction between peptide and protein bio markers and tBLM, and to identify the role of the lipid part to modulate the interaction between tBLM and specific peptides and proteins.

These fundamental results will provide the basis for biosensors and analytical procedures that can detect scarce biomarker proteins from other high-abundance proteins and from lipidic moieties in blood samples. The biosensors envisaged are based on nanostructured tBLM in which we have optimised the lipid composition for specific proteins interactions.

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PROJECT PARTNERS:

          SDx Tethered Membranes Pty Ltd