The innovation engine for new materials

Chelsea Chaves

Chelsea Chaves

Major: 

Chemistry

University: 

Jackson State University

Mentor(s): 

Tracy Chuong

Faculty Sponsor(s): 

Galen Stucky

Faculty Sponsor's Department(s): 

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Project Title: 

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Based False-free Biomolecular Assay

Project Description: 

In the field of medicine, misdiagnoses are often due to false positives. Though Enzyme-Linked ImunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) is often considered the gold standard for highly specific assay for proteins and small analytes, common issues with ELISA include long incubation periods, rigorous wash steps, and dependence on fluorescence accumulation, leading to potential non-accountable readouts. In an effort address the shortcomings of ELISA, and to reduce costs, time, and falsely prescribing harsh medicine to patients, we have created a false-free protein detection assay that combines standard ELISA with Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). We used a two Raman tag system that allows us to assign identity to every data point as true or false positives, giving unprecedented control over our data. It has been determined that this assay has a 10 nM limit of detection in 5 µM albumin.