Detection of MicroRNA Based on Three-Dimensional Graphene Field-Effect Transistor Biosensor

Abstract

MicroRNA (miRNAs) are post-transcriptional gene regulators and can be easily detected in plasma, which suggests a promising role as diagnostic markers. In this paper, we reported a nanomaterial of three-dimensional graphene (3D-G) grown on nickel foam by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). As a conductive channel, the 3D-G was made into field-effect transistor (FET) biosensor, showing high-performance in detecting of miRNA. We demonstrated that 3D-G FET biosensor was able to achieve a detection limit as low as 100[Formula: see text]pM and also has a good linear current response to miRNA concentrations in a broad range from 100[Formula: see text]pM to 100[Formula: see text]nM. Overall, the 3D-G FET biosensor was shown as a very promising alternative tool for the detection of miRNAs in biomedical research and early clinical diagnostic studies.