FABRICATING MINIATURIZED BIOSENSORS: Detection of DNA Damage and DNA Base Alterations

A large number of genetic diseases and disorders are simply caused by base alterations in the genome. Therefore, developing effecient and cost effective techniques for routine detection of these alterations is of great importance. Different methods involving gel electrophoresis and Polymerase Chain Reaction have been widely employed, but majority of these methods are costly, time consuming, and lack throughput, creating a fundamental gap between the current state-of-the-art and desired characteristics of low-cost, high-speed, simplicity, versatility, and potential for miniaturization. This book describes several bioelectroanalytical and molecular imaging attempts to bridge this gap by developing new sensing platforms to detect DNA base mismatches and DNA damage with higher throughput, better ease-of-use, and with the potential to be miniaturized for greater portability.