Career Fair and Career Events

Title: “Monoamine Oxidase Biosensors for Electrochemical Detection of Antineoplastic Drug”

Committee: Prof. Mark W. Grinstaff – BU BME (Advisor, Chair) Prof. James Galagan – BME Prof. Selim Ünlü – ECE Prof. Karen Allen – Chemistry

Abstract: This proposal describes an innovative platform and approach to new monoamine oxidase based biosensors for the chronoamperometric detection and quantification of methotrexate from bodily fluid. Methotrexate is used to treat a range of cancers. We chose this agent given the unmet clinical need for facile, rapid, point of care detection, but our approach is general and applicable to the development of almost any analyte. Our solution relies on the sensing elements present in bacteria – e.g., an enzyme. Bacteria have evolved over 3 billion years to detect and respond to virtually all classes of stimuli relevant to their surroundings and our own biology. Specifically, we will identify and harvest these molecular sensing elements (i.e., monoamine oxidases, MOAs) from bacteria and integrate them into a biosensor. Our platform takes advantage of this enormous and largely untapped reservoir for portable and inexpensive organic biosensors. The proposed experiments will test the hypothesis that: 1) genomic screening of bacterial will yield new MOAs that selectively react with methotrexate; 2) these MOAs will be catalytically active on an electrode to afford a current proportional to agent concentration in bodily fluid; and 3) a proof-of-concept biosensor device will be superior in terms of analysis time, ease of use, detection limit, and specificity compared to current methods (e.g., gas chromatography).