Detection of Autoimmune Disease Markers by Optical Label-Free Immunosensors

Nowadays, autoimmune diseases, affecting about 5-10 % of the world population, are a significant cause of morbidity, disability and mortality. In this work, we present a highly sensitive immunoassay for rapid real-time detection in human blood serum of antibodies to thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase as models of autoimmune disease markers. The assay employs portable optical label-free biosensors based on the spectral correlation interferometry. The biosensors are free from the parasitic sensitivity to bulk refractive index of solutions under test and deliver signals in metrological units (pm or nm). The developed immunosensors can be used for diagnostics of autoimmune diseases and can be extended to detection of various clinically relevant markers in complex biological liquids.