Reading disc-based bioassays for protein biomarkers with standard computer drives

Current methods of biomedical diagnosis are often limited to centralized laboratories due to the requirement of bulky, sophisticated instruments. This thesis project has the goal of improving the sensitivity and accessibility of existing diagnostic tools for protein biomarkers by combining the popular enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method with the compact disc (CD) technology. The polycarbonate base of a CD can be activated with a mild UV/ozone treatment, and its feasibility for preparing and running DNA hybridization assays has been demonstrated. Commercially available CD-quality analysis software is capable of quantifying the biotin-streptavidin binding reaction, a model system for biomedical diagnostic assays. After the validation of the CD-based assay preparation and reading protocol, the detection of a blood-borne cancer marker, CA215, has been explored. The sensitivity of the technique is comparable to the conventional ELISA assay, and it undoubtedly improves the accessibility and reduces the cost of current biomedical tests.