Description du projet
De nouveaux biocapteurs à base d’ADN pour le diagnostic clinique
La médecine de haute précision exige la mesure exacte de biomolécules cliniquement pertinentes en temps réel. Cependant, les capteurs utilisés actuellement en chimie bioanalytique posent encore des problèmes de bio-ingénierie. Le projet Entropic DNA Sensors, financé par l’UE, vise à générer de nouveaux biocapteurs aux performances améliorées et prévisibles. Les travaux mettront l’accent sur les propriétés de liaison des biorécepteurs à base d’ADN et aboutiront à une nouvelle conception permettant de mesurer diverses molécules dans des fluides biologiques complexes. Il est important de noter que les biocapteurs générés ne nécessiteront pas d’étalonnage et qu’ils offriront un mode de lecture convivial qui pourra être utilisé dans la pratique clinique.
Objectif
My proposed program consists in a 2-year research activity at the forefront of bioengineering, aiming at the development of Entropically programmable DNA-based bioSensors for high-precision medicine (Entropic DNA Sensors). Biosensors have achieved a significant feat in bioanalytical chemistry and translational science: high-frequency, real-time and quantitative measurements of clinically relevant molecules in vitro, and in vivo. Despite their advantages, our ability to precisely control and regulate the binding activity of their bioreceptors (i.e. the recognition element) still represents a highly relevant bioengineering challenge and limitation. Indeed, the fully control of bioreceptor’s binding properties would allow the design of new biosensors with improved and predictable analytical performance. In Entropic DNA Sensors I propose a multidisciplinary, innovative, and versatile approach based on a purely naturally inspired entropic allostery mechanism which allows to finely tune the activity and the response of synthetic bioreceptors. Specifically, my goal is to further explore our ability to rationally design intrinsically disordered domains into classic DNA-based bioreceptors so as to improve their useful dynamic range. Then, I will adapt these intrinsically disordered bioreceptors into an electrochemical read-out modality that supports the real-time, multi-hour, high-frequency, calibration-free measurements of clinically relevant molecules (i.e. doxorubicin, glucose, phenylalanie) directly in complex biological fluids in vitro. Finally, I will test them in simulated clinical scenarios to demonstrate their ability to reach personalized medicine. To achieve this goal I will leverage my experience in In vivo biosensing and Point-of-care (PoC) testing technologies with the recognized expertise in Functional DNA nanotechnology and Synthetic biology of Prof. Francesco Ricci at University of Rome Tor Vergata (UNITOV-Rome, Italy).
Champ scientifique
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsbiosensors
- natural sciencesbiological sciencessynthetic biology
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesgeneticsDNA
- engineering and technologynanotechnology
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencespersonalized medicine
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinateur
00133 Roma
Italie