Engineering a Ca++-Sensitive (Bio)Sensor from the Pore-Module of a Potassium Channel

Signals recorded at the cell membrane are meaningful indicators of the physiological vs. pathological state of a cell and will become useful diagnostic elements in nanomedicine. In this project we present a coherent strategy for the design and fabrication of a bio-nano-sensor that monitors changes in intracellular cell calcium concentration and allows an easy read out by converting the calcium signal into an electrical current in the range of microampere that can be easily measured by conventional cell electrophysiology apparatus.