“Priority 2030”: a young scientist of Moscow Polytech upgrades the diagnostic biosensor system
We continue telling about the research works of young scientists who have won in the third grant competition named after P.L. Kapitsa. The competition is underway in the framework of the implementation of the Federal Program of Strategic Academic Leadership “Priority 2030”. Moscow Polytech participates in this program with the project “Affordable Electric Vehicle”.
Alexander Kim, a MSU graduate, a candidate of biological sciences, for more than 10 years worked at the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics of the Russian Academy of Science. To Moscow Polytech, to the Faculty of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology he came with the research “Development of an electrochemical biosensor system for monitoring lactate and glucose concentrations in clinical medicine." The research corresponds to one of the priority areas of scientific and technological university development – “Sensor Technology”.
According to the scientist, the accurate and regular monitoring of glucose and lactate (lactic acid) is necessary for optimal treatment of a patient in the hospital and control over his state at home and in the presence of chronic pathologies. If a person has diagnoses of diabetic ketoacidosis and lactic acidosis, acute cardiovascular conditions, chronic liver diseases, and a number of rare genetic diseases, then it is necessary for him to be aware of his state.
Currently existing methods of identifying the glucose and lactate concentrations, for example, with application of a free enzyme, are rather expensive, as the enzyme is consumed quickly. For making the procedure cheaper, the enzyme may be immobilized (fixed) on the surface, in order to use it repeatedly. As well on the surface of electrodes. However, this technology has drawbacks: one electrode is capable of identifying one analyte; enzymes lose their activity by 70% in a month; the ionic power, pH, and the other components of the environment influence the signal of a biosensor.
“I suggest encapsulating (putting into the shell) the enzymes separately into poly-electrolyte microcapsules (PMC). The PMC shell protects enzymes from aggressive components of the environment, and on one electrode, one may place the capsules, containing various enzymes, thus allowing identifying concentrations of several analytes. According to already conducted research works, the encapsulated enzyme after five months of application loses the activity only by 20%”, - says Alexander Kim.
In the framework of the grant, the scientist plans to develop a diagnostic system based on the encapsulated enzymes of lactate dehydrogenase and glucose oxidase, fixed at three –pin printing electrode. The system will allow identifying the concentration of glucose and lactate by the electrochemical way with digital signal output due to a voltammeter. Additionally it is planned to create a multi-use biosensor for determining the concentration of lactate and glucose in the solution. The biosensor sensitivity will persist for several months and will resistant to aggressive environment conditions.
The results of the research may be used in clinical medicine for determining the concentrations of lactate and glucose in blood and urine. This project jointly with the project of Egor Musin, who have also become a postdoc of Moscow Polytech, “Development of electrochemical biosensor system for monitoring concentrations of ethanol and aldehyde in the framework of clinical medicine” will make it possible to develop a universal diagnostic sensor system, which, in perspective, will allow determining concentrations of simultaneously 3-4 analytes.
