Dr. Jin Zhang
University of Western Ontario, Canada
Title: Engineering Carbon-based Nanostructures for DNA Sensor
Biography
Biography: Dr. Jin Zhang
Abstract
Carbon-based nanomaterials including graphene, graphene oxide, and carbon quantum dots have shown special luminescence properties. This paper focuses on building an aptamer sensor by using carbon quantum dots (C-dots) and graphene oxide nanosheet. C-dots were synthesized by microwave-assisted process. The average particle size of C-dots is estimated at 23±5 nm. The fluorescence emission of C-dots shifts from 450 to 600 nm when excitation increases from 350-450nm. The target-DNA is conjugated onto C-dots by different strategies. Meanwhile, the capture-DNA is modified on the surface of graphene oxide. The target-DNA conjugated with Carbon Dots can be hybridized with the capture-DNA conjugated with graphene oxide by hydrogen bonds between adenine and thymine, which can cause the fluorescence quench of C-dots. The fluorescence intensity of C-dots modified with target-DNA as a function of the concentration of capture-DNA modified graphene oxide nanosheet is investigated. The results indicate that the this solution-based sensor can quickly measure the target-DNA in the range of 1µg/mL to 100 µg/mL.