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SUMMARY:Functional Conjugated Polymers: Towards New Materials for Biomedic
 al Applications - Professor Jadranka Travas-Sejdic\, 
DTSTART:20140609T150000Z
DTEND:20140609T160000Z
UID:TALK52793@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Sian Bunnage
DESCRIPTION:In this talk I will present two areas of research in my group.
  Firstly\, our work on electrochemical\, label-free gene sensors based on 
 conjugated polymers\, and secondly on our conductive polymer systems graft
 ed with stimuli responsive polymer brushes.\nPoor specificity\, low sensit
 ivity\, high labour cost and false positive/negative signals are outstandi
 ng issues in gene sensing and have propelled the development of new sensin
 g methodologies and devices. To address some of these issues\, we are deve
 loping a range of gene sensors based on derivatives of conjugated polymers
  (CPs). These sensors are based on (i) the electrochemical transduction of
  the hybridization event by the CP thin films measured by electrochemical 
 impedance spectroscopy\; (ii) optical readouts based on either FRET (fluor
 escence resonance energy transfer) or quenching of photoluminescence of co
 njugated polymers. Electrochemical detection methodologies in particular p
 rovide a simple\, direct electrical and label-free gene sensing. Devices c
 onstructed with single conducting copolymer nanowires\, as a label-free ol
 igonucleotide sensors with sensitivities in fM range\, will be outlined\, 
 as well as our recent work on development of a label free\, electrochemica
 l\, real time detection of the polymerize chain reaction (PCR).\nGrafting 
 polymeric side chains onto conjugated polymers provide a versatile route t
 owards designer conjugated polymers with added functionality\, tunability 
 in their opto-electronic properties\, processability and responsiveness to
  stimuli. Our approaches to such materials will be outlined and possible a
 pplications in biomedical and bioengineering fields discussed.
LOCATION:Pfizer Lecture Theatre\, Department of Chemistry
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