Biomolecular diagnostic and DNA technologies

This class will address the topic of biomolecular diagnostic and DNA Technologies. This course will first describe the physico-chemical basis of gold standards bioanalytical techniques (immunoassays; nucleic acids assays; enzyme-based assays) and different strategies for signal amplification in association with highly sensitive analytical methods will be presented. In particular, a focus will be made on nucleic acids that are targets of choice for molecular diagnostics but also building blocks in numerous nanobiotechnologies. 

The course will include the following sequences:

• General concepts and definitions of biomolecular diagnostics 
• General strategies for signal amplification 
• Gold standard techniques + case studies (ELISA, PCR, Western blot, sequencing)
• Isothermal methods for nucleic acid detection (RPA, RCA, LAMP NEAR, HCR...)
• Measurement formats (plates, lateral flow, droplets, microfluidics) and reading modes (fluorescence, colorimetry, electrochemical, other...)
• Digital measurements and high throughput methods (microarrays, sequencing, …).
• CRISPR-based technologies (DETECTR or SHERLOCK as case study)
• Molecular computation for classification (context and history, logic gates, neuromorphic computation)
• DNA nanostructure (junctions, origami, DNA bricks). Therapeutic applications (drug delivery, theranostics, virus deactivation)
• Enzymatic biosensors and electrochemistry of redox enzymes.
• Case studies

 Notions in structure of biomolecules