Development of a cantilever based device for the investigation of malaria vaccine cross-reactivity

Abstract

The invention of the atomic force microscope and subsequent implementation of cantilevers as transducers for sensing applications laid the foundation for the current use of cantilevers as biosensors. This application involves functionalisation of the surface with a bio-recognition layer, immersion of the sensors in a physiological environment and operation in either the static or the dynamic mode to transduce the biological interaction into a measurable signal. When operated in dynamic mode, the cantilever is actuated at its resonance frequency. Mass uptake on the sensor results in a resonance frequency shift, thereby transforming the cantilever into a sensitive microbalance.