Array of Amorphous Silicon Photosensors for the Diagnosis of Celiac Disease in Lab-on-Chip System

Celiac disease is a chronic disorder caused by dietary gluten in genetically susceptible individuals characterized by an inappropriate immune response. Recently, a new approach based on the detection of serum antibodies towards peptides of gluten (epitopes) has been reported. Here, we present a compact device based on an array of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) photosensors where different epitopes, which establish immunoreaction in celiac patients, were immobilized on the surface of the device through the deposition of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA)polymer brushes. The diagnosis of the celiac disease relies on the detection of the immunoreactions by using a chemiluminescent method. The results demonstrate the specificity and selectivity of the proposed system and show the successful integration of the recognition and detection elements in a single chip to obtain a portable low cost device as a novel tool for the diagnosis of celiac disease.