Colloquium: Not your everyday DNA
Professor shares latest nano-biosensor research, Oct. 10
News contact: Laura Hancock | University Advancement
541-962-3585 | lhancock@eou.edu
October 8, 2013
EOU photo by Laura Hancock / Cavinato, left, works with Jessica Nava, an intern from Irrigon High School.
LA GRANDE, Ore. (EOU) – Anna Cavinato, Ph.D., is developing a promising response to the continuous demand for fast, sensitive, low-cost and easy to use sensors for diagnostics and detection of infectious agents.
The chemistry professor at EOU shares her latest research for the first colloquium of the academic year at 4 p.m. Oct. 10 in Ackerman Hall, Room 210.
“Not your everyday DNA: using DNA aptamers for nano-biosensor development” is free and open to the public. A reception with question and answer session will follow.
Cavinato’s approach combines the specific molecular recognition capability of aptamers, small sequences of artificial DNA, with the unique optical properties of gold nanoparticles to develop a highly sensitive and specific colorimetric biosensor.
While the first of these sensors is currently aimed at detecting Renibacterium salmoninarum, the bacterium responsible for causing bacterial kidney disease in salmonids, Cavinato’s goal is that it will provide a model system for eventual fabrication of low cost biosensors to be utilized in the field for rapid and accurate detection of pathogens.
A list of related resources provided by Pierce Library is available for more in-depth information on this topic. Visit http://library.eou.edu/colloquium. To be added to the colloquium mailing list call 541-962-3508.
