6–10 Jul 2026
University of the Western Cape
Africa/Johannesburg timezone
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Detection of HIV in Clinical Plasma Samples via a Custom-Built Surface Plasmon Resonance Using an Anti‑gp120 Monoclonal Antibody

7 Jul 2026, 14:40
20m
Lecture Hall DL1 (University of the Western Cape)

Lecture Hall DL1

University of the Western Cape

Oral Presentation Track C - Photonics Photonics

Speaker

Dr Masixole Yvonne Lugongolo (CSIR)

Description

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) offers a highly sensitive and label‑free optical technique for monitoring biomolecular interactions by detecting changes in the refractive‑index at the metal–dielectric interface. In this study, we investigated the application of custom-built SPR for the direct detection of HIV through the virus’s envelope antigen gp120 in complex clinical samples. To achieve selective and stable analyte capture, an anti‑gp120 monoclonal antibody was immobilized onto a PEGylated gold sensor chip surface, forming a low‑fouling biorecognition layer designed to minimize non-specific adsorption. Clinical plasma specimens obtained from HIV‑positive and HIV‑negative donors were evaluated for their antigen binding events on the SPR platform. The antigen binding events were quantified as resonance‑angle shifts. Differences in the resonance‑angle shifts for the positive and negative samples demonstrated effective antigen capture despite the complex nature of clinical samples. The results confirmed that SPR can provide rapid, real‑time detection of HIV without the need for extensive sample preparation or labeling steps. Beyond demonstrating the feasibility of this approach, the findings highlight the potential of physics‑based plasmonic biosensing for integration into compact, portable, or point‑of‑care (POC) diagnostic systems aimed at timely HIV screening and improved accessibility to early detection technologies.

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