(245a) Invited: Sensor Applications in Bioengineering: Detection of Small Molecules within Complex and Three-Dimensional Biological Milieu

Bioengineering applications in regenerative medicine and single-cell analysis present challenging microenvironments for diagnostic and real-time detection. We have developed and applied sensors to detect small molecules in neuronal, cardiovascular, blood and biofilm systems. In particular, we have aimed to establish easy-to-use sensor platforms that do not interfere with biological processes. These sensors are reagentless and can be deployed in the presence of complex macromolecular solutions that readily foul, degrade or block many traditional sensing approaches. Herein, we describe our efforts towards detection of neuroactive molecules in the brain, hypoxia gradients in three-dimensional cellular scaffolds, and subcellular oxygen concentrations during electrophysiological and chemo-mechanical single cell experiments.