Nanotube devices for digital profiling of cancer biomarkers and circulating tumor cells

We present our results on development of handheld point of care nanotube devices for digital profiling of cancer biomarkers and circulating tumor cells. A scalable nano-manufacturing technique was utilized to develop devices out of transparent thin films of nanotubes. Generation 1 wafers yielded 60 devices per wafer. Generation 2 wafers yielded 240 devices per wafer. Using PASE functionalization of nanotube device arrays, we investigated the detection of cancer biomarkers such as molecular EpCAM and EpCAM in cancer cells. Results suggest detection of 1 ng/ml of EpCAM using nanotube FET devices. Simple and reliable detection of specific versus non-specific interactions of EpCAM in CTCs with 95% confidence intervals were obtained. These devices have high potential as handheld systems for cancer biomarker testing and CTCs in clinic.