Abstract
Liquid biopsy is a minimally invasive diagnostic approach that analyzes biomarkers in biofluids, for early disease detection, monitoring, and personalized medicine. This project aims to develop advanced lab-on-chip (LoC) platforms and sensing strategies tailored to different classes of biomarkers, including circulating nucleic acids, proteins, small molecules, and post- translational modifications (PTMs) such as glycosylation. Specific technological solutions will be adopted for each biomarker class, with electrochemical transducers being the primary detection method. These transducers will be enhanced with polymer-nanomaterial nanocomposites to improve sensitivity. When necessary, high-sensitivity transducers such as chiral bound states in the continuum (BIC) or graphene modified transistors will be employed. Biomarkers will be analyzed in biological fluids like serum and cerebrospinal fluid, as well as in extracellular vesicles isolated from these fluids. By integrating microfluidic technology, advanced materials this project will provide a versatile approach to liquid biopsy analysis, enabling early diagnosis, disease monitoring, and personalized treatment.
Objectives
- Objective 1 - NUCLEIC ADIDS DETECTION - We will develop electrochemical biosensors using conductive hydrogels and nanomaterials for sensitive and specific detection of miRNA and circulating DNA, integrating isothermal amplification and electrochemical detection on miniaturized Lab-on-Chip devices.
- Objective 2 – PROTEIN AND PEPTIDE DETECTION - MIPs will be synthesized and integrated on sensors for selective protein and small molecule detection. Electrochemical and chiral BIC optical sensors will enable sensitive, specific, label-free analysis in biological samples.
- Objective 3 – GLYCOSYLATION PROFILING - Electrode arrays will be functionalized with lectins or MIPs to detect glycosylation patterns via electrochemical signals, enabling stable, selective, and multiplexed glycan recognition for disease biomarker profiling.
- Objective 3 – Fabrication, Integration and Validation Strategies - Gold microelectrode arrays and plastic microfluidics will be fabricated and integrated into a modular LoC platform, validated on patient samples for multiplexed biomarker detection in clinical and personalized diagnostics
Collaborators
- Dr. Antonino Cattaneo and Francesca Malerba from European Brain Research Center- EBRI
- Prof. Giancarlo Logroscino and Chiara Zecca from University of Bari and “Cardinale Panico” Hospital,
- Prof. Natalia Pellegata from Department of biology and biotechnology, University of Pavia
- Prof. Udo De Giorgi Istituto scientifico romagnolo per lo studio e la cura dei tumori “Dino Amadori”
- Prof. Angelo Quattrini and Dr. Alessandro Romano from San Raffaele Hospital
- Dr. Silvia Romano and Gianluigi Zito from CNR- Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti “Eduardo Caianiello” (ISASI)
- Dr. Luca De Stefano from CNR- Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti “Eduardo Caianiello” (ISASI)
Key 5 publications
- 1. Clabassi, E.; Balestra, G et al. Hybrid Plasmonic Symmetry-Protected Bound state in the Continuum Entering the Zeptomolar Biodetection Range (2025) SMALL 21 (10)
- 2. Zito, G; Siciliano, G et al. Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Sensor Empowered by Bound States in the Continuum for Selective Trace-Detection of TGF-beta (2024) ADVANCED SCIENCE 11 (41)
- 3. Turco, A; Primiceri, E et al. Advancing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disease diagnosis: A lab-on-chip electrochemical immunosensor for ultra-sensitive TDP-43 protein detection and monitoring in serum patients' (2024) TALANTA 273
- 4. Siciliano, G et al..Development of an MIP based electrochemical sensor for TGF-β1 detection and its application in liquid biopsy (2023) ANALYST 148 (18) , pp.4447-4455
- 5. Manoccio, M; Esposito, M et al. Femtomolar Biodetection by a Compact Core-Shell 3D Chiral Metamaterial (2021) NANO LETTERS 21 (14), pp.6179-6187
People
- Maria Serena Chiriacò
- Francesco Ferrara
- Antonio Turco
- Viviana Vergaro
- Giulia Siciliano
- Lorenzo Rucco
- Francesca Malerba
- Elena Clabassi
- Antonio Galeone
- Marco Esposito
- Elisabetta Pisano
- Gianluca Balestra
- Massimo Cuscunà
- David Tobaldi