Sensing technologies that enable the continuous monitoring of concentrations of biomolecules are in rising demand for use in dynamic biological and biomedical applications. Examples are the monitoring of patients in critical care, the monitoring of industrial processes and bioreactors, and the monitoring of ecological systems.
We are developing a sensing technology called Biosensing by Particle Motion (BPM) that enables continuous monitoring with single molecule resolution. The principle is based on measuring changes in diffusional motion of particles when they interact with a sensor surface. The particles and surface are provided with affinity binders for a specific target molecule. The interactions between particle and surface result in temporal changes of motion which are optically observed and depend on the concentration of target molecules.
We investigate sensor concepts for a wide variety of applications, using affinity binders for the targets of interest, such as biomarkers for health and disease, drugs, toxins, nutrients, hormones, etc. The underlying scientific questions relate to the domains of molecular sciences (chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology) as well as to physical engineering sciences (optics, fluidics, real time data processing, miniaturization, and modelling). Our research is strongly multidisciplinary, which allows students to learn about specific scientific disciplines as well as about the challenges of technological integration.