Adhesion Molecules-28

Aging-9

Agricultural Biotechnology-37

Angiogenesis-29

Antisense-4

Apoptosis-49

Atherosclerosis-12

Autoimmunity-69

Bacterial Virulence-18

Bioinformatics-13

BioMaterials-18

Biotechnology-84

Cancer Genetics-25

Cancer Metastasis-19

Cell Biology-16

Cell Cycle-34

Cell Metabolism-327

Channels and Transporters-79

Chaperones-11

Circadian Rhythms-13

Coagulation-14

Cytokines/Growth Factors-52

Development-223

DNA-56

DNA Surveillance and Repair-42

Drug Design-17

Endocrine-66

Evolution-33

Extracellular Matrix-30

Gastroenterology-52

Gene Expression-178

Gene Therapy-53

Heart-61

Heat Shock Proteins-19

Hematology-11

Immunology-93

Infectious Disease-73

Ischemia-Reperfusion-33

MHC-17

Mitochondria-17

Nanomedicine-30

Neurodegenerative Disease-72

Neuropharmacology-112

Neuroscience-38

Nucleus-15

Oncogenes-8

Oncology-87

Parasitic Disease-12

Pharmacogenomics-14

Protein-11

Reproductive Biology-59

RNA-152

Signal Transduction-186

Stem Cells-80

Surgery-36

T-Cell Activation-12

Tissue Engineering-116

Transplant-51

Vaccines-82

Viruses-85

Chapter category: Biotechnology

Beyond Microtechnology—Nanotechnology in Molecular Diagnosis

Chapter authors:
Paolo Fortina, Joseph Wang, Saul Surrey, Jason Y. Park and Larry J. Kricka

Advances in technology have led to significant improvements in our ability to detect and diagnose disease. In particular, the advent of nucleic acid technology has allowed unparalleled insight into the genetic basis of disease and a highly specific means to detect and diagnose infectious disease. A further technological advance, dating back to the 1980s, has been the use of microfabrication techniques widely utilized in the microelectronics industry to fabricate microminiaturized analyzers. These devices have simplified and improved various steps in typical genetic test procedures, such as cell isolation and selection, nucleic acid extraction, amplification (PCR, RTR‑PCR, LCR) and quantitation of nucleic acids (e.g., quantitative microchip capillary electrophoresis of PCR amplicons). More importantly, integration of the analytical steps in nucleic acid assays can be achieved in a microchip format (lab‑on‑a‑chip). For example, an integrated microchip was developed that performs cell isolation, cell lysis, nucleic acid purification and recovery in nanoliter volumes. Other microchips combine various steps such as DNA amplification and capillary electrophoresis or electrochemical detection.Nanotechnology is an emerging technology, which will further simplify nucleic acid technology, as well as accelerate and extend its acceptance and utilization. It is defined as “technology development at the atomic, molecular or macromolecular range of approximately 1‑100 nanometers to create and use structures, devices and systems that have novel properties” (www.nano.gov). The current range of nanostructures includes nanoarrays, nanocantilevers, nanodisks, nanofibers, nanoparticles, nanoprisms, nanorods, nanoribbons, nanoshells, nanotransistors, nanotubes, nanowires and many of these structures have found application in nucleic acid technology for direct and indirect detection of nucleic acid sequences as well as for DNA sequence analysis. This chapter explores the use of selected nanostructures in tests for specific nucleic acid sequences and in nucleic acid sequence analysis.

Paolo Fortina
Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University

Joseph Wang
Departments of Chemical and Materials Engineering and Chemistry, Arizona State University

Saul Surrey
Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University

Jason Y. Park
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

Larry J. Kricka
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

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