Light Exposure Helps Remove Pesky Proteins Via Recyclable Chip

Did you know proteins can be removed from surfaces by simply exposing them to light and a reusable titania template?

Researchers have come up with a reusable titania template developed by A*STAR researchers that's created via highly selectable biosensors with the help of fundamental processes, including tissue formation.

As ridding a surface of proteins can be a bit of a time-consuming, complex task, this means that the majority of biologists typically throw away their substrates following a single use, leading to quite high cost consumables.

"We wanted to demonstrate that fabrication and patterning techniques could move away from the traditional domains of microelectronics," said Karen Chong of the A*STAR Institute of Materials Research and Engineering in Singapore, in a news release. "Specifically, we wanted to create fabrication techniques that could easily be adopted and replicated by biologists."

To create practical fabrication techniques, Chong noted how the team focused on two specific techniques: interferometric lithography and nano imprint lithography.

"Interferometric lithography techniques can be easily replicated by biologists without the need for a very complex or costly set-up in their laboratories," she explained. "While nanoimprinting is not practical for smaller labs, it does allow us to scale up these samples into larger-area substrates."

Both approaches resulted in surfaces with titania nanostructure that were covered with protein-resistant silanes, according to researchers.  Thus, exposure to ultraviolet light degrades the silanes and allows proteins to adhere to the selected regions.

Chong then noted how "the proteins on the chips can be quickly removed, by just exposing the used substrates to ultraviolet light, without the need for elaborate cleaning methods," prior to the purpose of the protein-patterned substrates. This results in the substrates being immediately reused without the need for further preparation.

"With the recyclable chip and the technique that we have demonstrated, fabrication techniques are no longer the exclusive domain of engineers," Chong concluded.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).  

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