ARS | Publication request: Multiple Pathogen Detection Using Biosensors: Advancements and Challenges

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 1, 2007
Publication Date: July 10, 2008
Citation: Tu, S., Gehring, A.G., Paoli, G. 2007. Multiple Pathogen Detection Using Biosensors: Advancements and Challenges. [Abstract]p.59

Technical Abstract: Advancements in biosensor research have considerably impacted clinical diagnostics for human health. Efforts in capitalizing on the sensitivity of biosensors for food pathogen detection are evident in the food safety/security research community. For practical application with foods that normally have an unevenly distributed low quantity of pathogens, integrated detection processes that include proper sampling and sensing steps must be developed. To meet this requirement, we have combined immunomagnetic capture/concentration and time resolved fluorescence techniques to simultaneously detect different pathogens in the same food samples. After a brief enrichment, the presence of a low quantity of pathogenic bacteria (E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp.) may be detected. To broaden the potential applications of this general approach, high quality pathogen-capture molecules are needed. Our efforts in using a phage-display technique have led to the discovery of a Listeria monocytogenes specific scFv as evident from the specificity observed with scFv linked paramagnetic beads. Positive identification/detection of pathogens may require specific cellular information at both the nucleic acid and protein level. Efforts to integrate this requirement into a microarray platform are currently being pursued in our laboratory.