Sensor assembly

1 . A system for determining a property of an analyte in a sample, the system comprising:

a sensor assembly comprising:

a fluid chamber for receiving a sample; and

a sensing element comprising:

a sensing layer, the sensing layer comprising an upper surface and a lower surface and a plurality of through holes, each of the through holes extending from the upper surface to the lower surface; and

capture species configured to specifically bind with analyte provided on the sensing layer; and

a property determination unit configured to determine the property of the analyte,

wherein the sensing element is arranged in the fluid chamber such that sample can reside above the upper surface, reside below the lower surface and pass through the through holes in the sensing layer;

wherein the sensing element provides a measurement signal indicative of an impedimetric property of the sensing layer;

wherein the capture species are located adjacent and/or in the through holes such that analyte bound to the capture species can interact with the through holes of the sensing layer so as to alter the impedimetric property of the sensing layer; and

wherein the property determination unit is configured to determine the property of the analyte based on the impedimetric property of the sensing layer indicated by the measurement signal.

2 . The system of claim 1 ,

wherein the sensing element comprises an interdigitated electrode (IDE) comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes arranged in an interdigitated configuration; and

wherein at least a part of the sensing layer is arranged between the first electrode and second electrode of the IDE.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the IDE is at least partially embedded within the sensing layer.

4 . The system of one of claim 2 , wherein the first and second electrodes are spaced apart from one another by a spacing of from 10 nm to 10 μm.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the capture species are configured such that an analyte bound to a capture species can be received within the through holes.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the through holes have a largest diameter of less than or equal to 1000 nm.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensing layer has a thickness of less than or equal to 1000 nm.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising

a sample manipulation device for manipulating analyte and/or non-analyte species on the sensing element; and

a control unit configured to operate the sample manipulation device;

wherein the control unit is configured to operate the sample manipulation device so as to apply a force to the sample sufficient to move specifically-bound analyte on the sensing element; and

wherein the property determination unit is configured to determine the property of the analyte in the sample based on the measurement signal during and/or after the control unit operates the sample manipulation device to move specifically-bound analyte.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the sample manipulation device is configured to cause specifically-bound analyte to enter the through holes of the sensing layer.

10 . The system of one of claim 8 , wherein the control unit is further configured to operate the sample manipulation device so as to apply a force to the sample sufficient to detach specifically-bound analyte on the sensing element and thereby detach at least a portion of specifically-bound analyte on the sensing element; and

wherein the property determination unit is configured to determine the property of the analyte in the sample based on the measurement signal during and/or after the control unit operates the sample manipulation device to detach specifically-bound analyte.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the sample manipulation device generates an electric field and/or a magnetic field to provide the force.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the sample manipulation device comprises a plurality of electrodes configured to apply an electric field about the sensing element.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the impedimetric property is selected from a dielectric property, resistance, capacitance, impedance, or conductance of the sensing layer, or a combination thereof.

14 . A system for determining a property of an analyte in a sample, the system comprising:

A sensor assembly comprising:

A fluid chamber for receiving a sample;

A sensing element, the sensing element comprising:

An interdigitated electrode (IDE) comprising a first electrode and a second electrode, the first and second electrodes arranged in an interdigitated configuration;

A sensing layer arranged at least in part between the first electrode and the second electrode of the IDE, the sensing layer comprising an upper surface and a lower surface and a plurality of through holes, each of the through holes extending from the upper surface to the lower surface; and

Capture species configured to specifically bind with the analyte provided on the sensing layer,

Wherein the capture species are located adjacent and/or in the through holes such that analyte bound to the capture species can interact with the through holes of the sensing layer; and

Wherein the sensing element provides a measurement signal indicative of the interaction of the sensing element with the analyte; and

Wherein the sensing element is arranged in the fluid chamber such that sample can reside above the upper surface, reside below the lower surface and pass through the through holes in the sensing layer.

15 . The system of claim 14 ,

wherein the capture species are located adjacent and/or in the through holes such that analyte bound to the capture species can interact with the through holes of the sensing layer so as to alter the impedimetric property of the sensing layer;

wherein the sensing element provides a measurement signal indicative of the impedimetric property of the sensing layer; and

wherein the system further comprises a property determination unit configured to determine the property of the analyte based on the impedimetric property of the sensing layer indicated by the measurement signal.

16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the impedimetric property is selected from a dielectric property, resistance, capacitance, impedance, or conductance of the sensing layer, or a combination thereof.

17 . A method for determining a property of an analyte in a sample, the method comprising:

providing a sensor assembly, the sensor assembly comprising:

a fluid chamber for receiving a sample; and

a sensing element comprising:

a sensing layer, the sensing layer comprising an upper surface and a lower surface and a plurality of through holes, each of the through holes extending from the upper surface to the lower surface, wherein the sensing element is arranged in the fluid chamber such that sample can reside above the upper surface, reside below the lower surface and pass through the through holes in the sensing layer; and

capture species configured to specifically bind with analyte provided on the sensing layer, wherein the capture species are located adjacent and/or the through holes such that analyte bound to the capture species can interact with the through holes of the sensing layer so as to alter an impedimetric property of the sensing layer;

providing a sample to the sensing element, wherein at least a portion of analyte in the sample binds to the capture species to form specifically-bound analyte;

obtaining a measurement signal indicative of the impedimetric property of the sensing layer from the sensing element; and

determining the property of the analyte based on the impedimetric property of the sensing layer indicated by the measurement signal.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising manipulating at least a portion of the specifically-bound analyte by applying a force to the sample sufficient to move specifically-bound analyte on the sensing element, wherein determining the property of the analyte in the sample is based on the measurement signal during and/or after the step of manipulating specifically-bound analyte.

19 . The method one of claim 17 , further comprising detaching at least a portion of the specifically-bound analyte by applying a force to the sample sufficient to detach specifically-bound analyte from the sensing element, wherein determining the property of the analyte in the sample is based on the measurement signal during and/or after the step of detaching the specifically-bound analyte.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of providing the sample to the sensing element comprises applying an electric field to the sample on the sensing element, the electric field being configured so as to cause movement of the analyte towards the capture species.