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Cocaine Biosensor

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the electric-sensor-land dept.

Aaron Rowe writes "The MIT Technology review reports that a lab at UC Santa Barbara has created a biosensor by attaching a special type of DNA called an aptamer to a gold electrode. When cocaine is present, the aptamer tightly hugs a cocaine molecule and leans over so that a metal tag can touch the gold surface. This causes a spike in a plot of current versus voltage when the electrode is attached to a machine called a cyclic voltmeter."

1 of 180 comments (clear)

  1. +4 Informative wha? by Cadallin · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Who modded my post up? It was intended as a personal reply to correct some of the Parent poster's misconceptions. It has nothing to do with the Article and is completely off-topic! Mod me down!