Low-cost nano-biosensor to detect foodborne pathogen that causes listeriosis

Described in Industrial Biotechnology

2013-03-12

(Press-News.org) New Rochelle, NY, March 12, 2013—The foodborne bacteria Listeria monocytogenes sickens about 2,500 people in the U.S. each year and many more worldwide, killing about 25-30% of those infected. Listeriosis is caused by eating food contaminated with L. monocytogenes, and current methods for detecting the bacteria are costly and time consuming. An innovative nanotechnology-based method for developing an inexpensive biosensor to detect the pathogen in food is described in Industrial Biotechnology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert Inc., publishers (http://www.liebertpub.com). The articles are available free on the Industrial Biotechnology (http://www.liebertpub.com/ind) website.

Vivian C.H. Wu, PhD led a group of scientists from University of Maine (Orono), National Chio Tung University, and Apex Biotechnology Corp. (Hsinchu, Taiwan), in producing a highly specific, antibody-based immunobiosensing strip with the potential for low-cost commercial development. Danielle Davis, et al. describes their work in the article "Gold Nanoparticle-Modified Carbon Electrode Biosensor for the Detection of Listeria monocytogenes (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/ind.2012.0033)."

The article is part of an IB Special Section on Nanobiotechnology, Part 2, led by Co-Guest Editors Norman Scott, PhD, Professor, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) and Hongda Chen, PhD, National Program Leader, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA (Washington, DC). In their Overview article "Nanoscale Science and Engineering for Agriculture and Food Systems (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/ind.2013.1555)," they describe the emerging opportunities and challenges for nanotechnology and nanomaterials research in industrial biotechnology.

The special section also includes two Review articles: "Time Analysis of Poly(Lactic-Co-Glycolic) Acid Nanoparticle Uptake by Major Organs Following Acute Intravenous and Oral Administration in Mice and Rats (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/ind.2012.0032)" by Lacey Simon and Cristina Sabliov, Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, LA); and "Biomarker-Based Nanotechnology for the Improvement of Reproductive Performance in Beef and Dairy Cattle (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/ind.2012.0035)" by Peter Sutovsky and Chelsey Kennedy, University of Missouri-Columbia, MO.

Additional original research articles include "Pueraria lobata (Kudzu) Photosystem I Improves the Photoelectrochemical Performance of Silicon (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/ind.2012.0036)" by Darlene Gunther, Gabriel LeBlanc, David Cliffel, and G. Kane Jennings, Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN); and "An Aptasensor Based on Polymer-Gold Nanoparticle Composite Microspheres for the Detection of Malathion Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/ind.2012.0029)" by Francisco Barahona, Cameron Bardliving, Adrienne Phifer, John Bruno, and Carl Batt, Cornell University (Ithaca, NY) and Operational Technologies Corp. (San Antonio, TX).

"Nanoscale science continues to play a major role in catalyzing biotechnology innovation, yielding a broad spectrum of devices and products that are addressing many pressing social needs," says Larry Walker, PhD, Co-Editor-in-Chief and Professor, Biological & Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.

INFORMATION:

About the Journal

Industrial Biotechnology (http://www.liebertpub.com/ind), led by Co-Editors-in-Chief Larry Walker, PhD, and Glenn Nedwin, PhD, MBA, is an authoritative journal focused on biobased industrial and environmental products and processes, published bimonthly in print and online. The Journal reports on the science, business, and policy developments of the emerging global bioeconomy, including biobased production of energy and fuels, chemicals, materials, and consumer goods. The articles published include critically reviewed original research in all related sciences (biology, biochemistry, chemical and process engineering, agriculture), in addition to expert commentary on current policy, funding, markets, business, legal issues, and science trends. Industrial Biotechnology offers the premier forum bridging basic research and R&D with later-stage commercialization for sustainable biobased industrial and environmental applications.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert Inc., publishers (http://www.liebertpub.com) is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Environmental Engineering Science and Sustainability: The Journal of Record. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 70 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert Inc., publishers (http://www.liebertpub.com) website.

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