Modeling Biosensors with COMSOL Multiphysics®

Biotechnology uses living organisms to manufacture, develop, and improve products. The functionality of biological systems has been used in areas such as food manufacturing (e.g., yeasts used to make bread and beer) and medical devices (e.g., glucose monitoring sensors). Biosensors use biological components in the detection of a chemical substance. For example, enzymes may be used to quantify contaminants, such as pesticides or antibiotics. In the medical and agrifood fields, antibodies may be used in biosensors to measure antigens. During an analysis, the ligand sees its modified properties and emits a physiochemical signal, which is transformed by a transducer into an analyzable signal.

In this webinar, we will discuss how the COMSOL Multiphysics® software can be used to model biosensor devices. We will demonstrate a model for the adsorption of antigens in aqueous solutions on an array of micropillars and examine the impact of design parameters, such as pillar diameter, grid spacing, and inlet velocity, on the detection capabilities. We will also provide an overview of the approach for modeling convection, diffusion, and surface reactions using COMSOL Multiphysics® and the Chemical Reaction Engineering Module. Further, we will show how to couple the flow in a channel and the transport of species as well as simulate the reactions between these species and active sites, present on the surfaces of micropillars in the channel.

This presentation will include a live demonstration and conclude with a Q&A session.