(352e) Functional Biosensors for Human and Environmental Health

Electrochemistry is an exceptionally powerful tool to monitor chemical and biological interactions. By harnessing the inherent activity and function of biomolecules, we have significantly improved the selectivity and sensitivity of electrochemical biosensors. Specifically, by combining electrochemistry with synthetic biology, we have developed a platform to detect biologically-active small-molecule environmental pollutants at sub-micromolar levels. Similarly, by harnessing the inherent metabolic activity of pathogens, we can detect bacteria that cause food- and water-borne illnesses. By combining improved chemistries for biomolecule modification with unique signal amplification strategies, we have successfully detected targets from extremely complex solutions and directly incorporated remediation with detection.