A Laboratory for Biomedical Sensing
In the Gratzl/Biomedical Sensing Lab at Case Western Reserve University, our research encompasses cost-effective body-fluid diagnostics, single cell level cancer research, and the development of micro-miniature implantable sensors for glucose and electrolytes for use by diabetic patients. Diagnostics in 1-20 microliter body fluids and other samples is performed using microfabricated electrochemical and optical sensors and an electrochemical micro-pH-stat. We also developed an equivalent of a rotating electrode for microliter samples, called the rotating sample system.
For cellular research, a diffusional microburet has been developed to continuously deliver reagents and drugs into single live cells. Fluorescence microscopy is employed to quantitate intracellular accumulation. Efflux is measured with a carbon fiber based electrochemical microsensor that can detect Adriamycin, a cancer drug, extruded from cells at very low concentrations. Neurochemical studies as well as measurements at epithelial cell layers are also performed with different microscopic sensing schemes.
