Patent ID: 9655553
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: A61B,G01N

Claim:
1. A quantum dot (QD) modified optical fiber-based biosensor system adapted for evaluation of metalloproteinase (MMP) enzyme activity at pain signaling sites in the central nervous system (CNS), said biosensor system comprising: a multimode silica optical fiber comprising one or more quantum dots that are bioconjugated on their surface to one or more peptides having an affinity for said metalloproteinase (MMP) enzyme, and that are tethered to an insertion end of said multimode silica optical fiber by one or more silane coupling agents; and a photon detector; wherein changes in photon emission resulting from interaction of said metalloproteinase (MMP) enzyme and peptides having an affinity for said metalloproteinase (MMP) enzyme are detected by said photon detector, said multimode silica optical fiber is tethered to a quantum dot donor and to a quantum dot acceptor by one or more biotin and streptavidin-modified silane coupling agents; and said quantum dot donor and quantum dot acceptor are linked by a peptide having an affinity for said metalloproteinase (MMP) enzyme.