Biosensor Microelectrodes for HPV Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic tests for cervical cancer caused by HPV are invasive, costly, and not easily accessible, providing false negatives and requiring specialized medical personnel, while existing HPV detection methods are inefficient for precancerous lesions and do not detect the infection itself.
Innovation Solution
A biosensor system using microelectrodes with carbon nanotubes and metal nanoparticles coated with HPV-specific antigens, allowing for non-invasive, cost-effective detection of HPV infection and neoplasia progression through antibody recognition in biological samples, enabling self-administered testing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional Pap test is used for cervical cancer detection, then the test can be performed with basic infrastructure, but it provides false negatives in 20-25% of cases and does not detect HPV infection itself
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary biosensor system that detects HPV infection indirectly through antibody-antigen interactions. The biosensor uses immobilized antigens to capture antibodies from patient samples, providing a more accurate detection of HPV infection status without requiring complex molecular biology techniques or specialized infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/visual inspection method of traditional Pap test with an electrochemical detection system. The biosensor transduces the biochemical antibody-antigen interaction into an electrical signal, eliminating the need for microscopic visual research and improving detection accuracy while reducing false negatives.
2Measurement precision
If HPV DNA quantification test is used, then the presence of HPV infection can be detected, but it requires highly specialized medical workers and specialized laboratory infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables self-service testing by designing a biosensor system that can be operated by patients themselves without requiring specialized medical training. The simplified protocol allows patients to collect their own samples and perform the test at home, eliminating the need for highly specialized medical workers while maintaining accurate HPV detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential detection function from complex molecular biology laboratories and relocates it to a simplified biosensor platform. By isolating the key antibody-antigen recognition event and transducing it electrochemically, the system removes the need for specialized laboratory infrastructure and highly trained personnel while preserving HPV detection accuracy.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional Pap test infrastructure is used, then the test cost is lower (10-20 Euro), but additional verification tests are required and it is inefficient for precancerous lesions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal biosensor platform that can detect multiple aspects of HPV infection and cervical pathology through a single test. The system can identify HPV infection status, assess infection persistence, and evaluate neoplastic transformation risk simultaneously, eliminating the need for multiple separate verification tests and improving diagnostic efficiency while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The biosensor system provides precise, sensitive, and stable detection of HPV infection and neoplasia progression, reducing costs and the need for specialized personnel, enabling early detection and prevention of HPV-related tumors.
Implementation Method 1
carbon nanotubes and/or metal nanoparticles, to which at least one antigen of the pathogenic agent, or an antigen for specific antibodies for the pathology deriving from the infection by said pathogenic agent is covalently bound
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a biosensor for the determination of an infection and possible neoplasias associated with it.