Fabrication of Biosensor and Biomedical Implant for Diagnosis and Treatment of Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular problems affecting individuals globally. It accounts for a high mortality rate among individuals with elevated levels of cholesterol or moderate to high obesity. In India alone over 5000 individuals are affected out of 100000 individuals in high risk regions. Fatty deposits known as atherosclerotic plaque is deposited in the inner walls of arteries which restrict the flow of blood through the vessels. Platelet aggregation occurs accompanied by conversion of prothrombin to thrombin, of the clotting cascade, followed by the formation of a thrombus or clot. There are several therapeutic options to prevent thrombosis including, anticoagulation therapies, thrombolysis, antiplatelet agents and stenting, etc. Anticoagulation therapy is one of the most used medical regimens to clear different type of plaques, because of a wide range of medications being available and ease of administration. However, such therapies are often associated with side effects. To achieve optimum therapy from novel therapeutic regimes with minimum side effects, early diagnosis can help in a significant way. There are several biomarkers which might be employed for the early diagnosis of atherosclerosis. In this project we propose to fabricate a paper-based immuno-electrochemical biosensing platform for combinatorial detection of two high-risk biomarkers for atherosclerosis, Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), frequently indicated in atherosclerotic plaque progression and plaque destabilization respectively. Our paper-based, point-of-care (POC) biosensor would measure the changes in electrical resistance of the antibody-plated interdigitated electrodes (IDE) to quantify the levels of two biomarkers present in the patient’s blood sample. We would further develop a biodegradable 3D printed stent loaded with carbonaceous, curcumin nanoparticles (C2NP) for preventing restenosis and thrombosis. Restenosis and thrombosis are commonly observed afterwards in patients having undertaken surgical procedures for placing stents in blocked arteries. Curcumin is a yellow coloured polyphenolic compound derived from turmeric which has already been reported for their anticoagulant activity and could be used for treatment of atherosclerosis. Our study is a two-in-one approach for the diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis.