Real-time Biosensors for Continuous Measurements of
Specific Biomolecules in Live Animals
Abstract
A biosensor capable of continuously measuring specific molecules in the bloodstream in vivo would give clinicians a valuable window into patients’ health and their response to therapeutics. Unfortunately, continuous, real-time measurement is currently only possible for a handful of targets (i.e. glucose, and oxygen) and existing platforms for continuous measurement are not generalizable for the monitoring of other analytes. In this presentation, we will present a universal real-time biosensor technology capable of continuously tracking a wide range of circulating molecules in living animals. Our real-time biosensor requires no exogenous reagents and can be readily reconfigured to measure different target molecules by exchanging molecular probes in a modular manner. Next, we will present the first real-time, closed loop feedback control of drug concentration in live animals using the real-time biosensor, and discuss potential applications of our technology. Finally, we will discuss methods for generating synthetic molecular probes (aptamers) that are at the heart of these biosensor technologies.