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ENGINEERING TRIPOS PART IIB - 2012/2013

Module 4G2 - Biosensors

Leader:	Dr A Seshia (Engineering) and Prof E A H Hall (Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology)
Timing:	Lent Term
Prerequisites:	None
Structure:	Lectures + coursework
Assessment:	*Material / Format / Timing / Marks* Coursework / Two coursework assignments / The first assignment is laboratory based with reports due mid-term and the second assignment will involve team-based design projects assessed by group presentation and reports due end of term / 50% per assignment

AIMS

This course covers the principles, technologies, methods and applications of biosensors and bioinstrumentation. The objective of this course is to link engineering principles to understanding of biosystems in sensors and bioelectronics. It will provide the student with detail of methods and procedures used in the design, fabrication and application of biosensors and bioelectronic devices. The fundamentals of measurement science are applied to optical, electrochemical, mass, and pressure signal transduction. Upon successful completion of this course, students are expected to be able to explain biosensing and transducing techniques, design and construct biosensors instrumentation.

Further details and online resources

LECTURE SYLLABUS

Introduction

Overview of Biosensors
Fundamental elements of biosensor devices
Engineering sensor proteins

Electrochemical Biosensors

Electrochemical principles
Amperometric biosensors and charge transfer pathways in enzymes
Glucose biosensors
Engineering electrochemical biosensors

Optical Biosensors

Optics for biosensors
Attenuated total reflection systems

Mass and Acoustic Biosensors

Saubrey formulation
Acoustic sensor formats
Quartz crystal microblalance

Lab-on-chip technologies

Microfluidic interfaces for biosensors
DNA and protein microarrays
Microfabricated PCR technology

Diagnostics for the real world

Communication and tracking in health monitoring
Detection in resource limited settings

COURSEWORK

The coursework will be assessed on two marked assignments. The first assignment will involve a laboratory session illustrating the functional demonstration of glucose sensor technology. This assignment will be marked on individual reports handed in during week 5 of term. The second assignment will involve a team-based design exercise. This design exercise will involve teams of 4-6 students engaged in designing a real-world biosensor. Design projects will be discussed during week 2 of term and team assignments completed in week 3. The design assignment will be marked on a team presentation in week 7 with written reports due in week 8.

OBJECTIVES

On completion of the module students should:

Be able to extend principles of engineering to the development of bioanalytical devices and the design of biosensors
Understand the principles of linking cell components and biological pathways with energy transduction, sensing and detection
Appreciate the basic configuration and distinction among biosensor systems
Demonstrate appreciation for the technical limits of performance
Make design and selection decisions in response to measurement problems amenable to the use of biosensors

REFERENCES

Please see the Booklist for Group G Courses for references for this module.

Last updated: June 2012

teaching-office@eng.cam.ac.uk