Nanopore devices for structural analysis of nanobio materials

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05417
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Nano/Microsystems
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Ryuzaki sou 九州大学, 先導物質化学研究所, 助教 (60625333)
• Research Collaborator: TANIGUCHI Masateru 大阪大学, 産業科学研究所, 教授 (40362628)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: ナノポアデバイス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Rapid structural analysis of nanoscale matter in a liquid environment represents innovative technologies that reveal the identities and functions of biologically important molecules. However, there is currently no method with high spatio-temporal resolution that can scan individual particles in solutions to gain structural information. Here we report the development of a nanopore platform realizing quantitative structural analysis for suspended nanomaterials in solutions. We used a low thickness-to-diameter aspect ratio pore architecture for achieving cross sectional areas of analyte (i.e. tomograms). Combining this with multiphysics simulation methods to translate ionic current data into tomograms, we demonstrated rapid structural analysis of many kind of single vesicles and EVs. The present results indicate this structural analysis is very powerful tool to identify nano-bioparticles and have a potential as novel nanobio sensors from the view point of particle shapes.

Free Research Field

ナノバイオテクノロジー

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

がんを根治するためには腫瘍の早期発見が重要である。しかしながら、がんは種類（部位）ごとに検査方法が異なるため、全身のがんを毎年調べることは現実的に困難である。そのため、任意のがんを簡便に検出できる技術の開発が必要である。
本研究では血液中に含まれる細胞からの分泌物である「生体粒子(EV)」に着目し、その生体粒子の形状ががん細胞の種類ごとに異なることを初めて明らかにした。本成果により、血液検査から任意のがんを検出できる可能性が示唆された。