Dynamic complex smart colloids for the detection of biomolecules

Abstract

Complex smart colloid is a new class of dynamically reconfigurable emulsion droplets that switch morphologies between encapsulated and Janus configuration upon binding to chemical and biological analytes. The changes of morphologies or orientations of the Janus droplets are readily detected with an optical transduction mechanism. The dynamic complex smart colloids are ideal sensing particles for aqueous sensing of biomolecules such as bacteria, oligonucleotide, antibodies and viruses. This thesis expands the applications of complex smart colloids as bioassays that can be potentially adopted in food and beverage industry, environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics. In Chapter 2, we demonstrate an example of using emulsion agglutination assay for E.coli sensing with a continuous phase carbohydrate surfactant. In Chapter 3, we expand the emulsion assay by using interfacial bioconjugation methods and eliminating the needs of a synthetic surfactant in the continuous phase. In Chapter 4, we develop the protein-protein agglutination assay with a thermal stable protein conjugate to the droplet-water interface for sensing of Zika protein NS 1.