Fiber-optic biosensor for field diagnostics
This technology uses a specialized fiber-optic cable with a built-in light-bending structure called a long period grating, coated with ultra-thin layers of charged polymers applied at room temperature. The coating shifts how the grating interacts with light, making the fiber extremely sensitive to changes in its surrounding environment—such as the presence of specific chemicals or biological molecules. By attaching biological recognition agents like antibodies to the outermost layer, the fiber can detect very specific targets. A clever design variant measures changes in light intensity rather than wavelength, making readout electronics simpler and cheaper. The same coated fiber can also act as a light modulator when electrically active materials are included in the coating.
What you could build
A fiber-optic biosensor platform for detecting pathogens, toxins, or biomarkers in water, food, or clinical samples, sold to environmental monitoring agencies, food safety labs, and point-of-care diagnostics manufacturers seeking compact, field-deployable sensing solutions.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia-based defense contractors, federal labs (NIH, EPA, DHS S&T), and biotech instrumentation companies near the DC corridor would be natural partners or licensees for biosensing and environmental monitoring applications.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Zhiyong Wang, James R. Heflin JR., Siddharth Ramachandran
- Granted
- February 26, 2008
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 7336861
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.