Research Focus
I am developing a Field-Effect Transistor (FET)-based diagnostic platform for the rapid detection of miRNA biomarkers associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), particularly coronary atherosclerosis caused by arterial plaque buildup. Detecting miRNA biomarkers is highly valuable for early diagnosis because they act as dynamic “fine-tuners” of disease progression and often appear before clinical symptoms or irreversible tissue damage occur. For example, miR-155 levels typically increase as plaques become more vulnerable and higher risk. The objective of my project is to build a point-of-care diagnostic device capable of rapidly detecting miRNAs in blood samples. To achieve this, I have fabricated a miniaturized FET-based device integrated with specialized nanomaterials to enhance signal transduction and sensitivity. This platform provides a label-free detection approach, eliminating the need for expensive fluorescent dyes while offering a minimally invasive diagnostic solution. By leveraging the high sensitivity of nanomaterial-functionalized interfaces, the device has the potential to achieve attomolar (aM) detection limits, which are essential for identifying the extremely low concentrations of miRNAs present during the early stages of atherosclerosis.
Biography
Sanjit Manohar Majhi received his PhD from Jeonbuk National University (JBNU), South Korea. He has worked as a Postdoctoral fellow at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Saudi Arabia and Hanyang University, South Korea. After that he joined as a Research Associate at United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) focusing on 2D materials for health and environmental applications. Currently, he is working as a Research Associate Scientist at New York University, Abu Dhabi, UAE. He has published 40 papers with nearly 4200 citations and h-index of 30. He is interested in the synthesis of various nanomaterials such MOFs, metal-oxide NPs, 2D MXene materials, and organic crystals for gas, bio-sensor applications.