Objective This project aims to design and test a low-cost, highly sensitive and selective optical fibre sensor for testosterone, based on testosterone-recognising molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) combined with lossy mode resonance (LMR) structures.Optical fibre (OF) sensing has attracted great attention in the last years due to the benefits that it offers compared to traditional electronic sensors. Some of these benefits are small size, biocompatibility and immunity to electromagnetic fields. Among all OF sensors topologies, those based on spectral techniques are the most sensitive and robust. Specifically, OF sensors based on electromagnetic resonances - i. e., surface plasmon resonance (SPR) or LMR - have become a standard in the last years due to their high performance.The exciting potential of LMR-based sensors is combined in this proposal with bio-mimetic polymer technology in order to develop a new generation of sensors with defined chemical specificity. With this aim, the following specific objectives have been established:- To design and optimise the MIP formulations for the binding of testosterone while supporting and enhancing LMRs.- To characterise the properties of the MIPs regarding their structure, orientation and physical and chemical stability.- To study and optimise different deposition methods to coat the OF device with the selected polymer in order to obtain a testosterone sensor.- To model the OF sensor in order to predict its features and the optimum configuration.- To study the sensors’ response to different concentrations of testosterone in samples, evaluating its sensitivity, stability and selectivity.- To develop a small, light and low-cost system for the sensor in order to explore its commercial potential.The methodology and results obtained from this multidisciplinary project represents a generic strategy and will allow the future development of a range of new OF sensors for the detection of other substances of interest. Fields of science engineering and technologynanotechnologynano-materialstwo-dimensional nanostructuresgrapheneengineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologiesdesalinationreverse osmosisengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and filmsengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsfibre optics Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2015-EF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF-EF) Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2015 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA Net EU contribution € 183 454,80 Address Earlham road NR4 7TJ Norwich United Kingdom See on map Region East of England East Anglia Norwich and East Norfolk Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
