Project: Fibre-Based Planar Antennas for Biosensing and Diagnostics

Acronym	FASPEC (Reference Number: PS-2016_22)
Duration	01/04/2018 - 30/03/2021
Project Topic	Traditional methods for pathogen determination delay treatment and increase the recovery period for the patient. The ability to deliver critical data for decision makers in a timely manner makes high-performance diagnostic tools a future key component of the healthcare system. Although fluorescence-based approaches are widely available, conventional read-out optics is bulky, not flexible and often lacks of single-molecule sensitivity. Nanophotonics-based sensing promises to build on the advantages of optical sensing while overcoming its limitations, providing higher sensitivity as well as easier integration into affordable devices and disposable units. We have recently introduced and demonstrated an optical antenna that can largely improve the collection efficiency by beaming the emission of molecules into a narrow cone. The project aims at translating these findings into a fluorescencebased molecular assay for in-vitro diagnostics, integrating fluidic and optical readout functionalities in a low-cost disposable unit coupled to an automated platform. The key photonic innovation of the project is the replacement of the bulk optics with a suitably designed photonic chip. The latter shall direct fluorescence towards the sensor head, enhancing the fluorescence limits of detection by orders of magnitude and giving the possibility to reduce or eliminate amplification steps, which are known to introduce errors and increase the readout time. The bioassays and the platform validation will focus on sepsis, which is a common hospitalisation disease with high mortality rates. The photonic chip will be functionalised with biological recognition elements for selected target molecules, e.g., proteins and microRNA probes. Our aim is to rapidly translate a scientific achievement into an innovative technology, where large sensitivities are attained in a compact and low-cost device, and to provide new tools to diagnose sepsis, a major challenge of the healthcare system.
Network	PhotonicSensing
Call	Photonics based sensing

Project partner

Number	Name	Role	Country
1	University of Siegen	Coordinator	Germany
2	National Institute of Optics	Partner	Italy
3	Institute of Applied Physics Nello Carrara	Partner	Italy
4	Cecchi srl	Partner	Italy
5	Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.	Partner	Germany
6	Gesellschaft für Silizium-Mikrosysteme mbH	Partner	Germany