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Heat Transfer as a New Sensing Technique for the Label-Free Detection of Biomolecules

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Book cover Label-Free Biosensing

Part of the book series: Springer Series on Chemical Sensors and Biosensors ((SSSENSORS,volume 16))

Abstract

This chapter focuses on a new thermal sensing technique based on analyzing the heat-transfer resistance of a functionalized solid–liquid interface in time. This method, the so-called heat-transfer method (HTM), was developed by the authors in 2012. In order to monitor the thermal resistance of a functional interface in time, the temperature beneath a functionalized chip is controlled, while the output temperature in the measuring chamber is registered in time. Originally, the method was used for the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). It was found that upon denaturation of double-stranded DNA, the DNA curled up, leading to an increased surface coverage and hence thermal resistance. This transition from low to high thermal resistance regimes could be employed to pinpoint the melting temperature of the DNA strain under study and thereby identify point mutations. In recent years, HTM has been combined with various synthetic and natural receptors for various applications including the detection of whole cells and microorganisms, neurotransmitters and hormones, and proteins using surface imprinted polymers (SIPs), molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), and aptamers, respectively. This chapter aims at discussing HTM as a sensing technique and its application in bio-analytics in detail and benchmarking it by providing an overview of other thermal sensing principles and their inherent benefits and drawbacks.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Soft-Matter Physics and Biophysics Section, Department of Physics and Astronomy, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 D, B-3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Kasper Eersels & Patrick Wagner

  2. Maastricht Science Programme, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    Bart van Grinsven & Thomas J. Cleij

  3. Faculty of Science and Engineering, School of Science and the Environment, Division of Chemistry and Environmental Science, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester, M1 5GD, UK

    Marloes Peeters

Authors
  1. Kasper Eersels
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  2. Bart van Grinsven
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  3. Marloes Peeters
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  4. Thomas J. Cleij
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  5. Patrick Wagner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick Wagner .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Jülich, Germany

    Michael J. Schöning

  2. Institute of Nano- and Biotechnologies, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Jülich, Germany

    Arshak Poghossian

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Eersels, K., van Grinsven, B., Peeters, M., Cleij, T.J., Wagner, P. (2017). Heat Transfer as a New Sensing Technique for the Label-Free Detection of Biomolecules. In: Schöning, M., Poghossian, A. (eds) Label-Free Biosensing. Springer Series on Chemical Sensors and Biosensors, vol 16. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/5346_2017_1

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