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Sensors
and Instrumentation Group |
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Biomedical sensors are the interface between medical electronic instrumentation and physiologic systems. Our group is concerned with the development of biomedical sensors based on microfabrication technology, the design and evaluation of instrumentation systems utilizing these sensors, and applications of these instrumentation systems to clinically important biomedical problems.
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| Miniaturized Electrochemical Sensors | ||
 Bradford Pendley, PhD Research efforts are focused on the development and evaluation of miniature electrochemical sensors for use in medicine and medical research. Since further advances in sensor technology are based on an understanding of the functioning of these sensors in vivo, much of the effort involves the development of experimental techniques and methods to characterize the performance of these sensors in body. We have developed a theory, mathematical model and the experimental technique to assess the loss of two critical components from potetiometric sensors. Further, we have demonstrated its use with our microfabricated sensors as well as commercially available sensors and have shown that the technique works after the sensor has been exposed to whole blood. This development can be used to predict sensor failure before its occurrence, and may be used for the potentiometric sensors used worldwide in hospital labs. |
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Microfabrication Facility:
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| Examples of Ongoing Projects | ||
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We
are also concerned about the interaction between sensors and the biologic
host organism and how these interactions affect sensor and instrument
performance. Thick- and thin film microelectronic technology is being
used to fabricate miniature ion-selective electrodes, instrumentation
for measuring pH at various locations in the body, enzyme-based sensors
for detecting bacterial vaginosis, and sensors and instrumentation for
infant apnea monitoring.
Ion-selective
electrodes with sub-nanomolar detection