Sensor Device

Abstract

A device ( 1 ) for sensing an analyte, the device ( 1 ) comprises at least a sample inlet ( 10 ) for receiving a sample, affinity probes ( 111 ) selected to have a preferential binding to the analyte, a transducer ( 11 ) sensitive to a characteristic of the analyte and/or a label attached to the analyte, the transducer not being a FET transducer, and a desalting unit ( 13 ) for desalting the received sample.

1 . A biosensor device for sensing an analyte, the device comprising:
 at least a sample inlet for receiving a sample;   affinity probes selected so as to have an preferential binding to the analyte;   a transducer sensitive to a characteristic of the analyte and/or a label attached to the analyte and adapted to convert an interaction of the analyte with the affinity probes into a readout signal, the transducer not being a Field Effect Transistor transducer; and
 a desalting unit for desalting the received sample so as to reduce a response time and/or increase the signal of the transducer. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the desalting unit further comprises a port for receiving buffer fluid for being flown to the received sample. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the desalting unit comprises a buffer fluid reservoir for containing buffer fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 3 , wherein the desalting unit further comprises a mixer for mixing received sample with the buffer fluid. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the transducer is an optical transducer. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the desalting unit is integrated on or in a same substrate or in a same enclosure as the transducer. 
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the desalting unit comprises a port, a buffer fluid reservoir and a mixer ( 132 ). 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the device is an affinity-based sensing device having affinity probes on the transducer. 
     
     
         9 . A diagnostic device comprising:
 a biosensor device according to  claim 1  for sensing an analyte and   generating a sensing signal, and   an output unit for providing an output of said biosensor device.   
     
     
         10 . A diagnostic device according to  claim 9 , wherein the output device is adapted for outputting a signal representative for presence/absence or concentration of the analyte. 
     
     
         11 . A method for measuring a concentration of an analyte in a biological sample, the method comprising:
 i) receiving a biological sample;   ii) desalting the sample, thereby obtaining a desalted sample,   iii) measuring at least one signal of the desalted sample by means of an affinity-based sensing device based on affinity probes and a transducer, the transducer not being a Field Effect Transistor transducer; and   iv) determining the concentration of the analyte in the sample using the at least one signal.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the step (ii) of desalting the sample comprises a step of bringing the sample to an ionic strength ranging from 10 nM to 150 mM. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the step (ii) of desalting the sample and the step (iii) for measuring the at least one signal of the desalted sample are performed simultaneously or successively. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the method furthermore comprises a step of comparing the at least one signal to a reference signal obtained with a standard solution. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the step (iii) of measuring the at least one signal of the desalted sample is performed over time to obtain a measurement curve. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the step (ii) of desalting the sample comprises a step of diluting the sample. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the step (ii) of desalting the sample comprises a step of performing electrodialysis. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the step (ii) of desalting the sample comprises a step of bringing the sample to an ionic strength ranging from 10 mM to 150 mM. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 15 , further comprising a step (iiia) of determining a slope of the measurement curve. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the affinity-based sensing device comprises the device of  claim 1 .