STING assay

Signal Transduction by Ion Nano Gating (STING) is a recently developed sensing technology using a functionalized quartz nanopore at the tip of a nanopipette. One of the key features of this technology is that STING sensors can be easily, inexpensively and reproducibly tailored at the bench by laser-pulling a quartz capillary into a nanopipette.

STING technology relies on a simple electrochemical readout that transduces, in a label-free manner, binding  events at the tip of a functionalized nanopipette. Antibodies, DNA and aptamers have been used as recognition elements demonstrating the versatility of this platform for biorecognition.

The high impedance of the nanopipette tip confines the sensitivity of the device, making the dimension and geometry of the tip orifice crucial for the sensor performance. STING technology can be easily integrated  with piezoactuators to generate a sensor with high spatial resolution.

Relevant Publications & Patents

Ultrasensitive mycotoxin detection by STING sensors.

Actis P, Jejelowo O, Pourmand N. Biosens Bioelectron.  2010, 15;26(2):333-7.

Functionalized nanopipettes: toward label-free, single cell biosensors.

Actis P, Mak AC, Pourmand N. Bioanal Rev. 2010, 1(2-4):177-185.

Label-free biosensing with functionalized nanopipette probes.

Umehara S, Karhanek M, Davis RW, Pourmand N. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2009, 24;106(12):4611-6.

Current rectification with poly-L-lysine-coated quartz nanopipettes

Umehara S., Pourmand N., Webb C.D., Davis R.W., Yasuda K., Karhanek M., Nano Lett., 2006, 6(11), 2486-2492

Single DNA molecule detection using nanopipettes and nanoparticles.

Karhanek M., Kemp J. T., Pourmand N., Davis R. W., Webb C. D., Nano Lett., 2005, 5, 403-407

Functionalized Nanopipette Biosensor.

Karhanek M., Webb CD., Umehara S. and Pourmand N., US Patent Application, 20100072080, (2010).