Objective
Surfaces with the capacity for selective recognition of particular pathogens would offer great potential in a number of biomedical applications, including diagnostic devices. Mammalian cells are decorated with a carbohydrate-rich layer, the glycocalyx, which facilitates cellular recognition. Carbohydrate-binding proteins can interact with these sugar motifs to facilitate highly selective recognition, a strategy which is exploited by many viral and bacterial pathogens. Such species have evolved to display recognition units on their surfaces which may interact with considerable affinity with glycan structures displayed on cellular surfaces. This molecular recognition constitutes a key step in the processes of infection or toxicity, and is therefore an attractive target for the development of diagnostic devices. In this project, Dr Clare Mahon proposes to develop surface-tethered polymer brushes which will mimic the glycocalyx in terms of facilitating adhesion of pathogens. Through the incorporation of different fluorophores, the surfaces will be used to construct sensing arrays which will enable the rapid and cost-effective identification of water-borne pathogens and common respiratory pathogens.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculescarbohydrates
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsmobile phones
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Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
YO10 5DD York North Yorkshire
United Kingdom