Doctoral Themes - Proposals

Biomimetic polymers and gold particles with enhanced optical and electrochemical biosensing properties (e-PlasmonSense)

Supervisors

Pedro M. R. Paulo, pedro.m.paulo@tecnico.ulisboa.pt

Ana S. Viana, anaviana@ciencias.ulisboa.pt

Registration Institution

Instituto Superior Técnico (Universidade de Lisboa)

Project description

The student will develop hybrid films made from a biocompatible polymer and gold nanoparticles that have potential for wearable biosensors in health monitoring [1]. Firstly, gold nanoparticles of different sizes and shapes (spheres, rods, prisms) will be synthesized and surface functionalized with near infrared emitting dyes [2]. Porphyrin derivatives will be used as a turn-on fluorescent sensor for detection of small ions taking advantage of the antenna effect of gold nanoparticles to enhance the optical sensor response. Then, the particles will be gently organized on a solid substrate by electrospray deposition. The solid substrate will be used as an electrode for electro-polymerization of polycatecholamine films [3]. The latter modification will impart biocompatibility to the hybrid films and, furthermore, enable their modification with bio-recognition elements (e.g. enzymes, aptamers) that will provide electrochemical detection of other analytes for multiplexing purposes. The hybrids films will be characterized by spectroscopic and electrochemical methods, and also by fluorescence microscopy, ellipsometry and atomic force microscopy.

References

[1] J. Kim et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 2019, 37, 389–406.

[2] D. Botequim et al. Nanoscale 2020, 12, 6334-6345.

[3] L. C. Almeida et al. Electrochimica Acta 2019, 319, 462-471.

Keywords

Biomimetic polymers; Gold nanoparticles; Electrochemical biosensors; Optical biosensors; Microscopy

Societal Challenges

The proposed biomimetic hybrid films have potential for biosensors for medical diagnostics. The development of reliable, easy-to-use, portable and cost-effective diagnostic tools is a first step to make medical care more accessible to general public, particularly, in regions where access to specialized clinical laboratories is limited, and early diagnostics could make a difference in treatment efficacy and cost.

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