Adaptive Systems and Structures Lab

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Biosensor Cantilever Development With one antibody (Ab) attached to a substrate and another attached to the tip of a cantilever above it, antigen (Ag) floating through solution will bind to one of the Ab and the cantilever can be bent down, piezoelectrically, in order to sandwich the three together. When Abs and Ags bind to one another, it takes a certain amount force to pull the pair apart, depending on the Ab-Ag pair under observation. However, cantilevers of differing materials, fabrication procedures, sizes, and geometries have varying tolerances to force and Brownian motion. V-shaped cantilevers are to be arrayed to detect antigens such as small pox, anthrax, HIV, etc., hence cantilevers are to be designed and calibrated, accordingly. MCNC will be responsible for actual fabrication of the cantilevers.   Contact the webmaster.