Electrochemical Genosensors for Tumor Biomarker Detection: the case of miRNAs

This thesis describes the implementation of different types of genosensors for microRNA (miRNA) electrochemical detection. miRNAs are intensely studied as candidates for diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Herein, miRNA 221 and miRNA-222 detection was studied since it is well known that these two sequences are involved into different type of lung, liver and brain cancers. Both electrochemical and photoelectrochemical transduction method was adopted. The analytical approaches were based on a recognition event through the hybridization of miRNAs to a specific capture probe. Several modifications of the sensor surface were studied in order to obtain the optimal analytical performances.