ABSTRACT Title of Document: AN OPTICAL MICROSENSOR UTILIZING GENETICALLY PROGRAMMED BIORECEPTOR LAYERS FOR SELECTIVE SENSING

sensors through the creation of highly selective peptides that encode unique recognition affinities. Their robust integration with sensor platforms is very challenging. The goal of this research project is to combine expertise in micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and biological/protein engineering to develop a selective sensor platform. The key enabling technology in this work is the use of biological molecules, the Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and its derivative, Virus-Like-Particle (VLP), as nanoreceptor layers, in conjunction with a highly sensitive microfabricated optical disk resonator. This work will present a novel method for the integration of biological molecules assembly on MEMS devices for chemical and biological sensing applications. Particularly in this research, TMV1Cys-TNT and TMV1Cys-VLP-FLAG bioreceptor layers have been genetically engineered to bind to an ultra-low vapor pressure explosive, Trinitrotoluene (TNT), and to a widely used FLAG antibody, respectively. TNT vapor was introduce to TMV1Cys-TNT coated resonator and induced a 12 Hz resonant frequency shift, corresponding to a mass increase of 76.9 ng, a 300 % larger shift compared to resonators without receptor layer coating