Photonic blood typing

Abstract

Photonic devices, systems, and methods for detecting an analyte in a biological solution (e.g., whole blood) are provided. Representative photonic devices are optical ring resonators having nanoscale features and micron-sized diameters. Due to the compact size of these devices, many resonators can be disposed on a single substrate and tested simultaneously as a sample is passed over the devices. Typical analytes include blood cells, antibodies, and pathogens, as well as compounds indicative of the presence of blood cells or pathogens (e.g., serology). In certain embodiments, blood type can be determined through photonic sensing using a combination of direct detection of blood cells and serology. By combining the detection signals of multiple devices, the type of blood can be determined.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A photonic device for determining blood type or immune sensitization to blood type, comprising:
 a sample waveguide having a sample surface; and   a binding coating covering and being in optical communication with at least a portion of the sample surface, the binding coating being configured to bind a target moiety indicative of blood type or immune sensitization to blood type, wherein the photonic device is configured such that light passed through the sample waveguide has an evanescent field that extends a distance beyond the sample waveguide sufficient to detect the target moiety indicative of blood type.   
     
     
         2 . The photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the target moiety indicative of blood type is attached to a blood cell. 
     
     
         3 . The photonic device of  claim 2 , wherein the blood cell is selected from the group consisting of a white blood cell, a red blood cell, a platelet, and a microparticle. 
     
     
         4 . The photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the binding coating is an antigen and wherein the target moiety indicative of blood type is an antibody indicative of blood or pathogen antigens. 
     
     
         5 . The photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the binding coating is antifouling. 
     
     
         6 . The photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the binding coating is zwitterionic. 
     
     
         7 . The photonic device of  claim 6 , wherein the binding coating comprises a poly(carboxybetaine). 
     
     
         8 . The photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the binding coating comprises a plurality of layers, including an antifouling layer and a capture layer. 
     
     
         9 . The photonic device of  claim 8 , wherein the antifouling layer is zwitterionic. 
     
     
         10 . The photonic device of  claim 8 , wherein the capture layer comprises at least one binding moiety. 
     
     
         11 . The photonic device of  claim 10 , wherein the binding moiety is configured to bind to the target moiety indicative of blood type. 
     
     
         12 . The photonic device of  claim 8 , wherein the antifouling layer is bound to the capture layer. 
     
     
         13 . The photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the binding coating is covalently attached to the sample waveguide. 
     
     
         14 . The photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the binding coating is not bound to the sample waveguide. 
     
     
         15 . The photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the binding coating has a first refractive index prior to binding the target moiety indicative of blood type and a second refractive index after binding the target moiety indicative of blood type, wherein the first refractive index and the second refractive index are different, and wherein an evanescent field of electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength extends beyond the binding coating and into any binding moiety bound to the binding coating. 
     
     
         16 . The photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the sample waveguide is a portion of a photonic device selected from the group consisting of a resonator and an interferometer. 
     
     
         17 . The photonic device of  claim 1 , wherein the sample waveguide is a portion of a photonic device selected from the group consisting of a ring resonator, a Bragg reflector, and a Mach-Zehnder interferometer. 
     
     
         18 . A photonic system for determining a blood type, comprising:
 (1) a first photonic device for determining the blood type, comprising:
 a first sample waveguide having a first sample surface; and 
 a first binding coating covering and being in optical communication with at least a portion of the first sample surface, the first binding coating being configured to directly bind to a blood cell target moiety indicative of the blood type, wherein the blood cell target moiety is attached to a blood cell body selected from the group consisting of a blood cell, a blood cell membrane, a blood cell fragment, a microvesicle, and a blood cell-associated antigen, and wherein the first photonic device is configured such that light passed through the first sample waveguide has an evanescent field that extends a distance beyond the first sample waveguide sufficient to detect the bound blood cell target moiety; and 
   (2) a second photonic device for determining blood type, comprising:
 a second sample waveguide having a second sample surface; and 
 a second binding coating covering and being in optical communication with at least a portion of the second sample surface, the second binding coating being configured to bind to an antibody indicative of the blood type, wherein the second photonic device is configured such that light passed through the second sample waveguide has an evanescent field that extends a distance beyond the second sample waveguide sufficient to detect the antibody indicative of the blood type. 
   
     
     
         19 . The photonic system of  claim 18 , wherein the first photonic device and the second photonic device are configured to simultaneously determine the blood type. 
     
     
         20 . The photonic system of  claim 18 , further comprising a computer configured to determine the blood type using output from both the first photonic device and the second photonic device. 
     
     
         21 . The photonic system of  claim 18 , further comprising a reference waveguide that does not have any binding coating. 
     
     
         22 . The photonic system of  claim 18 , further comprising a third photonic device configured to bind a target moiety indicative of a pathogen. 
     
     
         23 . The photonic system of  claim 22 , wherein the target moiety indicative of a pathogen is selected from the group consisting of a pathogen, a pathogen-associated antibody, a pathogen-associated nucleic acid, and a pathogen-associated antigen.