The work plan was divided into 5 workpackages: (WP1) management and dissemination; (WP2) identification of the very first features of the super-sensor; (WP3) implementation and characterization of each building block; (WP4) integration and comparative study; (WP5) first tests on body fluids. The WP1 ran during the entire duration of the project. The WP2 and WP3 developed mainly in the first two years of the project, while the activities in WP4 and WP5 were carried out in the last two years. The impact of covid-related restrictions was detrimental from different points of view. The lack of continuity in lab activity, especially during the 2020 year, delayed significantly the first tests on the implementation of the immunoreaction protocol, thus transferring to WP4 and WP5 the further optimization of the procedure. The two partners closer to the clinical field (Ginolis and Pulejo) suffered from the covid-related emergency with a consequent lack of personnel focusing on SensApp, thus undermining the achievement of the final tests in a clinical setting. Conversely, the more technological objectives of the project were achieved successfully with additional efforts through teleconference meetings to overcome the lack of face-to-face joint-measurement sessions. We realized the prototypes of the two expected modules of the super-sensor: the DSS module and the RO (read-out) module. Both prototypes were characterized and demonstrated successful to detect fluorescent biomolecules down to the sub-picogram level in pure samples and even in synthetic body fluids such as urine. In summary, the overall result is the demonstration of the DSS technology’s ability to concentrate biomolecules through highly reproducible spots and its compatibility with immunoreaction steps on reaction slides. In this way the clinical validation of the super-sensor will be a matter of robust immunoreaction protocol post-DSS, able to minimize the background level especially when working with low abundant biomarkers. We believe that further research in a new collaborative project (e.g. EIC Transition) will allow us to continue developing the SensApp super-sensor by validating the technology in a real clinical setting for early diagnosis applications. Moreover, the comparative study of the DSS technology performed with a piezo-driven micro-spotter encourages us to develop a new collaborative project for testing the DSS technology in the field of microarray printing.
Regarding the dissemination of the results, we achieved the following results:
• Visual identity of the project with own logo, website, document templates, brochures, social accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube) and community on the repository Zenodo
• IP Agreement & plan for data management
• Three promotional movies
• Manuals for the prototypes
• International symposium
• More than 10 scientific papers published in peer-reviewed journals with others under preparation
• More than 20 presentations at international conferences
• Presentations at public and local events (e.g. European Researchers’ Night, etc.)
• Various master theses
• Joint press release
Our plan for exploitation of the results includes:
• Use results in further research projects, internally or as background in new collaborative projects
• License the patents filed after the end of the project (both individually or jointly among partners)
• Evaluate joint ventures with companies working in the field of microarray technologies
• Continue promoting SensApp topics in PhD and master theses
• Evaluating the opportunity to develop a spin-off
