Trailing illnesses: Fluorescent immunoanalysis by miniature solid state laser technology

This project is supported by VDI/VDE Innovation + Technik GmbH and the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology (BMWi) within an ideas competition.

An early diagnosis of illnesses is not only useful to protect patients from secondary damage; it can even help to save lives. An innovative method to detect illness, the so called fluorescent immunoanalysis, counts on laser fluorescence. With that it is possible to find antigens – proteins which can for example stern from pathogens – in the patient’s blood. To use this diagnostic method comprehensively in surgeries, it certainly has to be optimized.

In the project “fluorescent immunoanalysis by miniature solid state laser technology”, a compact laser fluorescence gadget which does not only allow an early detection of allergies or infectious diseases in finding special antigens, but also makes it possible to identify proteins produced by the body because of nascent tumors in time, is developed. Moreover, it fits to an ordinary surgery table.
With this method, the medical practitioner is able to find out if a characteristic antigen is in the blood and in what concentration it exists – this shows how long the viruses have already been in the human body and in what stadium the illness is.

The laser fluorescence immuno analysis works just as the lock-and-key-model of the human immune system: A special type of antibodies bonds itself to a fitting type of antigens. For the fluorescence analysis. antibodies are marked each with one of two different molecules able to fluoresce, the so called fluorophores. Afterwards, these antibodies are given to a blood sample. If the sample contains any of the wanted antigen-proteins, the antibodies are “docking” on them. Because of that, every two different fluophor-marked antibodies are very close to each other. With the right laser wavelength, one fluophor is stimulated to shine. The second docked fluophor-marked antibody is so close to the shining one that the light energy is transmitted, so that the second antibody shines without laser light stimulation.

The project partners from FIA-LAS want to develop a supersensitive immuno analyze (FIA-) system with a so called FIA-sensitivity increased to the femtomolar range of concentration with the help of a miniature diode pumped solid state laser (DPSS laser) optimized for this. Laser technical, laser spectroscopic, immuno diagnostic and bio-pharmacologic resources and competences are linked in the project.

The project partners expect high synergies from the combination of the two innovative fields biosensors and laser technologies. They shall lead to an efficient product with great chances in the market competition for clinical diagnostic technologies as well as for biological and plasma research. Interesting new markets for the product can be in environmental and food industry, too.

For more information, look at Innonets FIA-LAS information sheet.

In supporting innovative networks – InnoNet – the German Federal Ministry for Economics and Technology (BMWi) wants to increase the innovative power and competitiveness of middle-sized companies. Results of research and development shall find their way to the market faster in the future.