Presentation: 2025 ND EPSCoR Annual conference 

October 21, 2025, NDSU Memorial Union, Fargo, North Dakota

MXene-Based Sensors for Prostate Cancer Detection

This study investigates two-dimensional Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene nanomaterials, a class of transition metal carbides, as sensing materials for prostate cancer detection. The sensing performance was evaluated using phosphate-buffered saline (PBS, serving as the physiological medium), prostate-specific antigen (PSA, a key biomarker for prostate cancer), and deionized (DI) water as the reference medium. The resistance response of MXene to PSA and PBS was monitored using carefully prepared test cells under controlled experimental conditions. In this research, we focus on functionalized MXene as an advanced sensing platform for prostate cancer detection. PSA, widely recognized as a biomarker for screening of prostate cancer, plays a critical role in improving treatment outcomes and patient survival. However, current diagnostic methods often suffer from limited sensitivity and specificity. To address these limitations, our work investigates the chemical interactions and functionalities of MXene with PSA to enhance detection performance. To improve accuracy and sensitivity, the MXene surface was modified using malic acid (providing –OH groups) and EDTA (a polycarboxylate introducing –COOH functionalities). Preliminary results demonstrate that malic-acid-functionalized MXene exhibits a pronounced sensing response to PSA, with sensitivity increasing from 3% to 46%, along with improved selectivity. These findings provide valuable insight into how surface chemistry modulates MXene’s sensing mechanism toward PSA, highlighting the role of functional groups in biomolecular recognition. Overall, this work establishes a promising biosensing strategy, demonstrating that engineered MXene surfaces can serve as efficient, non-invasive, and cost-effective diagnostic tools for prostate cancer and po