The interaction between nanoscience and biomedicine is one of the important developing areas of modern science. The usage of functional nanoparticles with biological molecules provides sensitive and selective detection, labeling and sensing of biomolecules. Until today, several novel types of tagging materials have been used in bioassays, such as plasmon-resonant particles, quantum dots (QDs), and metal nanoshells. However, nowadays, Surface enhanced raman scattering (SERS) tags have been attracting considerable attention as a tagging system. SERS-tags provide high signal enhancement, and they enable multiplex detection of biomolecules due to high specificity. This thesis is focused on the designing proper SERS nanotags for DNA studies. SERS nano-tags are nanostructures consisting of core nanoparticle generally silver, Raman reporter molecule for labeling, and shell to make surface modifications and to prevent deterioration arising from environmental impact. Based on this information, silver core synthesized by thermal decomposition and chemical reduction methods. Thermal decomposition method provides synthesis of silver nanoparticles in hydrophobic medium, resulting in proper silica coating by reverse microemulsion method. On the other hand, silver nanoparticles sythesized by chemical reduction method exhibit hydrophilic property. Due to capping reagents, negatively charged silver nanoparticles could easily attach with positively charged Raman dye which is brilliant cresyl blue (BCB). After addition of Raman active molecule, silica coating process was done by using modified St&ouml / ber method. The resulting particles were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) ,UV-vis Spectrometry (UV-vis) and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). In recent years, DNA detection has gained importance for cancer and disease diagnosis and the detection of harmful microorganisms in food and drink. In this study, gene sequences were detected via SERS. For this, probe sequences were labelled with Raman reporter molecule, BCB,and SERS nano-tags and were called as SERGen probes. Then, after hybridization of DNA targets to complementary probe sequences onto gold substrate, SERS peak was followed.

Antimicrobial resistance in bacteria is a global health challenge with a projected fallout of 10 million deaths annually and cumulative costs of over 1 trillion dollars by 2050. The currently available tools exploited in the detection of bacteria or their DNA can be expensive, time inefficient, or lack multiplex capabilities among others. The research work highlighted in this dissertation advances techniques employed in the phenotypic or genotypic detection of bacteria and their DNA. In this dissertation, I present polymethyl methacrylate-pressure sensitive adhesive microfluidic platforms developed using a time-efficient, inexpensive fabrication technique. Microfluidic devices were then equipped with functionalized monoliths and utilized for sequence-specific capture and detection of picomolar concentrations of bacterial plasmid DNA harvested from cultured bacteria. I then showed multiplex detection of multiple bacteria gene targets in these devices with an improved monolith column. Finally, I demonstrated a genotypic approach to studying single bacteria growth in water-in-oil droplets with nanomolar concentrations of a fluorescence reporter, and detection via laser-induced fluorescence after convenient room temperature 2-h incubation conditions. The systems and methods described herein show potential to advance tools needed to address the surging problems and effects of drug-resistant bacteria.

ABSTRACT PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF SILVER SERS NANOTAGS Kibar, Seda M.S., Department of Chemistry Supervisor: Prof. Dr. M&uuml / rvet Volkan December 2010, 88 pages Tags are materials used for labeling substances and so make possible the qualitative and quantitative analysis both in macroscopic and microscopic world. Nowadays, surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy became the favored one among the optical based-tag detection systems. Progress in surface enhanced Raman detection and imaging technologies depends on the availability of Raman labels with strong light scattering characteristics. In this study various SERS nanotags were prepared. An ideal SERS nanotag consists of three parts, core nanoparticle for enhancement, Raman active molecule for signature and a shell for protection and further functionalization. As a core material, silver nanoparticles were prepared using the chemical reduction method with sodium citrate as reductant. SERS enhancement provided by Ag particles prepared was examined. For colloidal stabilization and further surface modifications, silica with a controlled thickness was deposited on Ag nanoparticles. Three single-dye doped nanotags, Ag-BCB@SiO2 Ag-CFV@SiO2 and Ag-CV@SiO2 were prepared using positively charged dyes, brilliant cresyl blue (BCB), cresyl fast violet (CFV) and cresyl violet (CV). The effects of silica thickness and dye concentration in the reaction medium were examined. Stability of prepared nanotags and repeatability of the method were investigated. Multi-dye doped nanotags were prepared using BCB and CFV solutions mixed at various concentration ratios. Resulting Raman spectra Ag-BCB-CFV@SiO2 nanotags successfully exhibited characteristic peaks of each dye with a good resolution. In addition, the molar ratio between dyes BCB and CFV was reflected on the related spectra. A linear correlation was observed between the molar ratio of the dyes and their Raman intensity ratio.

L’approche analytique d’interrogation sur puce par spectrométrie de masse est une techniqueparticulièrement bien adaptée à l’analyse multiplexée requise pour la recherche de biomarqueurs dansle diagnostic moderne. L’objectif a été de contribuer aux développements technologiques etméthodologiques d’une plateforme d’analyse baptisée SUPRA-MS (Imagerie par Résonance desPlasmons de Surface en array combinée à la Spectrométrie de Masse). Des puces d’or compatiblesavec la SPRi et la MS ont été conçues et réalisées à l’aide des techniques de dépôt sous vide. Uneétude originale couplant la SPRi avec l’AFM a permis d’établir une relation entre le signal SPRmesuré et la quantité réelle de protéines fixées sur des puces nanostructurées. Nous avons ensuitedéveloppé une procédure d’immobilisation en format array (16 à λ6 spots) par liaison covalente enmonocouche des anticorps spécifiques, dirigés contre un biomarqueur du cancer du sein (LAG3) pourune analyse multiplexée d’échantillons biologiques. Du plasma humain contenant 300 ng/mL deLAGγ est injecté à la surface de la puce. L’injection est suivie en temps réel par SPRi et conduit à unecapture du biomarqueur à l’échelle de la femtomole par spots. Un traitement collectif des spots parspray pour la digestion in situ des protéines et le dépôt de matrice en vue d’une interrogation MS enMALDI-TOF a été mis au point par l’équipe du Dr Patrick Ducoroy (CLIPP-CHU Dijon). Lesrésultats MS obtenues ont permis 100 % d’identification du biomarqueur. Cette technologie sansmarquages spécifiques est particulièrement bien adaptée à la caractérisation fine des biomarqueurs et àla discrimination de variants protéiques. / The analytic approach of interrogation on chip by mass spectrometry is a suitable technique tomultiplexed analysis required for biomarker research in modern diagnosis. The aim was to contributeto the technological and methodological developments of analysis platform called SUPRA-MS(Surface Plasmon Resonance in Array coupled to Mass Spectrometry) whose goal is to provideadditional data to assay on the target protein by mass spectrometry. At first, gold chips compatiblewith SPRi and MS were designed and fabricated using vacuum deposition techniques. An originalstudy coupling SPRi with AFM has established a relationship between the SPR signal measured andthe real amount of proteins bound to nanostructured chips. We developed an immobilization procedurein array format (spots 16-96) by covalent monolayer of specific antibodies directed against the proteinLAG3, a biomarker of breast cancer for multiplex analysis of human biological samples (plasma).Human plasma containing 300 ng/mL of LAG3 is injected to the chip surface. The injection ismonitored in real time by SPRi and leads to the biomarker capture at the femtomole scale. After thebiosensing step, a collective treatment of spots by spray for in situ protein digestion and matrixdeposition in view of a MS analysis was developed by Dr. Patrick Ducoroy's team (CLIPP-CHUDijon). The MS and MS-MS analysis by MALDI-TOF was developed to analyze all spotsautomatically and determine their peptide mapping leading to 100% of the biomarker identification.This technology does not require the use of specific markers, is suitable to the biomarkerscharacterization and discrimination of protein variants.