Proteomics

With research teams at Leeds (Professor Paul Ferrigno) orientated peptide-aptamer modified surfaces are being generated and utilised in the highly specific and sensitive detection of cancer marker proteins.   These surfaces typically contain highly orientated scaffold proteins in which the receptive peptide insert (below) is exposed to solution.

Electrical  and electrochemical assays developed enable detection at minute levels (only a few tens of molecules). 

Optical assays based on FRET and nanoparticle plasmon optics are being developed and currently enable target protein detection at sub-nanomolar levels.   In some cases surfaces can be generated that are simultaneously or sequentially responsive to a number of specific analytes (using receptor sequences inserted into several protein surface locations (below).