The promise of graphene-based transistors for democratizing multiomics studies

Highlights

• Graphene based field effect transistor (gFET) is a promising platform for democratization of multiomics analysis.

• The outstanding properties of the gFET are contrasted with the conventional BioFET.

• Bioanalysis by gFET, including DNA/RNA, proteins, metabolites, vesicles, and cellular activities are highlighted.

• gFET simultaneously acquire multiple omics signals that are readily accessible to digital analysis by machine learning.

• Scalable manufacturing of gFET by the semiconductor industry further accelerate the democratization of multiomics studies.

Abstract

As biological research has synthesized genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics into systems biology, a new multiomics approach to biological research has emerged. Today, multiomics studies are challenging and expensive. An experimental platform that could unify the multiple omics approaches to measurement could increase access to multiomics data by enabling more individual labs to successfully attempt multiomics studies. Field effect biosensing based on graphene transistors have gained significant attention as a potential unifying technology for such multiomics studies. This review article highlights the outstanding performance characteristics that makes graphene field effect transistor an attractive sensing platform for a wide variety of analytes important to system biology. In addition to many studies demonstrating the biosensing capabilities of graphene field effect transistors, they are uniquely suited to address the challenges of multiomics studies by providing an integrative multiplex platform for large scale manufacturing using the well-established processes of semiconductor industry. Furthermore, the resulting digital data is readily analyzable by machine learning to derive actionable biological insight to address the challenge of data compatibility for multiomics studies. A critical stage of systems biology will be democratizing multiomics study, and the graphene field effect transistor is uniquely positioned to serve as an accessible multiomics platform.