Multi-Analyte Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Sensor

Abstract

A multi-analyte sensor includes a body having a proximal end and a distal end. A plurality of strips is connected to one end of the body and a plurality of electrical conductors run through the body and into the plurality of strips. Exposed portions of first and second electrical conductors running through first and second strips are coated with analyte-responsive materials, such as a first molecular imprinted polymer (MIP) and a second MIP, respectively. The first MIP has binding sites for a first target analyte and the second MIP has binding sites for a second target analyte. The multi-analyte sensor may be part of a sensing device that also includes a controller and a data store.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-analyte sensor comprising:
 a body having a proximal end and a distal end, the body comprising an electrical insulator;   a first electrical conductor running through the body including running through at least a portion of the electrical insulator, the electrical insulator defining a first opening, in a surface of the body, that exposes a portion of the first electrical conductor;   a first coating disposed on at least some of the portion of the first electrical conductor exposed by the first opening, wherein an electrical property of the first electrical conductor and the first coating changes responsive to a concentration of a first target analyte to which the first coating is exposed;   a second electrical conductor running through the body including running through at least a portion of the electrical insulator, the electrical insulator defining a second opening in the surface of the body that exposes a portion of the second electrical conductor; and   a second coating disposed on at least some of the portion of the second electrical conductor exposed by the second opening, wherein an electrical property of the second electrical conductor and the second coating changes responsive to a concentration of a second target analyte to which the second coating is exposed.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-analyte sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first coating comprises biological molecules. 
     
     
         3 . The multi-analyte sensor of  claim 2 , wherein the biological molecules comprise antibodies. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-analyte sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the surface is a top surface or a bottom surface of the body. 
     
     
         5 . The multi-analyte sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the first electrical conductor exposed by the first opening is one of a plurality of exposed portions of the first electrical conductor exposed by a plurality of openings defined by the electrical insulator in the surface of the body. 
     
     
         6 . The multi-analyte sensor of  claim 5 , further comprising a mask having a window configured to move relative to the body from a first position to a second position, wherein the window is aligned with the portion of the first electrical conductor exposed by the first opening in the first position and aligned with a different exposed portion of the plurality of exposed portions of the first electrical conductor in the second position. 
     
     
         7 . The multi-analyte sensor of  claim 5 , wherein a second exposed portion of the plurality of exposed portions of the first electrical conductor is not coated and is directly exposed to an environment of the multi-analyte sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-analyte sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the second electrical conductor exposed by the second opening has electrical properties that are substantially invariant with regard to concentration of the first target analyte. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-analyte sensor of  claim 1 , wherein a third electrical conductor runs through at least a portion of the electrical insulator, the electrical insulator defining a third opening that exposes a portion of the third electrical conductor, the portion of the third electrical conductor exposed by the third opening being at least partially coated with the first coating. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-analyte sensor of  claim 1 , wherein the first target analyte is one of: cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), melatonin, progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, cytokines, C-reactive protein, or cholesterol. 
     
     
         11 . A multi-analyte sensing device comprising:
 a multi-analyte sensor including:
 a body having a proximal end and a distal end, the body comprising an electrical insulator; 
 a first electrical conductor running through the body including running through at least a portion of the electrical insulator, the electrical insulator defining a first opening, in a surface of the body, that exposes a portion of the first electrical conductor; 
 a first coating disposed on at least some of the portion of the first electrical conductor exposed by the first opening, wherein an electrical property of the first electrical conductor and the first coating changes responsive to a concentration of a first target analyte to which the first coating is exposed; 
 a second electrical conductor running through the body including running through at least a portion of the electrical insulator, the electrical insulator defining a second opening in the surface of the body that exposes a portion of the second electrical conductor; and 
 a second coating disposed on at least some of the portion of the second electrical conductor exposed by the second opening, wherein an electrical property of the second electrical conductor and the second coating changes responsive to a concentration of a second target analyte to which the second coating is exposed; and 
   a controller configured to:
 receive output from the multi-analyte sensor indicating the electrical property of the first electrical conductor and the first coating and the electrical property of the second electrical conductor and the second MIP coating; 
 determine a concentration of the first target analyte present in a sample based on the electrical property of the first electrical conductor and the first coating; and 
 determine a concentration of the second target analyte present in the sample based on the electrical property of the second electrical conductor and the second coating. 
   
     
     
         12 . The multi-analyte sensing device of  claim 11 , wherein the multi-analyte sensing device is a toothbrush. 
     
     
         13 . The multi-analyte sensing device of  claim 11 , further comprising an adaptor connected to the proximal end of the body and configured to couple the first and second electrical conductors to the controller. 
     
     
         14 . The multi-analyte sensing device of  claim 11 , wherein the portion of the second conductor exposed by the second opening and coated with the second coating is configured to have electrical properties that are substantially invariant with regard to concentration of the first target analyte. 
     
     
         15 . The multi-analyte sensing device of  claim 11 , wherein the portion of the first electrical conductor exposed by the first opening is one of a plurality of exposed portions of the first electrical conductor exposed by a plurality of openings defined by the electrical insulator in the surface of the body. 
     
     
         16 . The multi-analyte sensing device of  claim 15 , further comprising a mask having a window configured to move relative to the body from a first position to a second position, wherein the window is aligned with the portion of the first electrical conductor exposed by the first opening in the first position and aligned with a different exposed portion of the plurality of exposed portions of the first electrical conductor in the second position. 
     
     
         17 . The multi-analyte sensing device of  claim 15 , wherein a second exposed portion of the plurality of exposed portions of the first electrical conductor is not coated and is directly exposed to an environment of the multi-analyte sensor. 
     
     
         18 . The multi-analyte sensing device of  claim 11 , wherein a third electrical conductor runs through at least a portion of the electrical insulator, the electrical insulator defining a third opening that exposes a portion of the third electrical conductor, the portion of the third electrical conductor exposed by the third opening being at least partially coated with the first coating. 
     
     
         19 . A method for calibrating an analyte sensor, the method comprising:
 obtaining, for a plurality of concentrations of a target analyte, measurements of an electrical property of the sensor for a plurality of drive frequencies;   identifying a sampling frequency based on the measurements of the electrical property; and   fitting, for the selected frequency, a trend line to measurements for the plurality of concentrations at the drive frequency.   
     
     
         20 . A method for manufacturing a multi-analyte sensor, the method comprising:
 partially splitting a cable to form a structure having a body, a plurality of strips, and a plurality of electrical conductors that run through the body and into the plurality of strips such that each strip has at least one electrical conductor running through it, wherein a portion of a first electrical conductor is exposed by an opening in a first strip of the plurality of strips and a portion of a second electrical conductor is exposed by an opening in a second strip of the plurality of strips;   coating the exposed portion of the first electrical conductor with a first MIP, the first MIP having binding sites for a first target analyte; and   coating the exposed portion of the second electrical conductor with a second MIP, the second MIP having binding sites for a second target analyte.