Improvement of food safety applied biosensors by protein engineering

Project Information

BIOIMPROVE

Grant agreement ID: 834952

DOI 10.3030/834952

Project terminated on 31 January 2022

EC signature date 29 March 2019

Start date 1 May 2019

End date 7 April 2022

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost € 172 932,48

EU contribution € 172 932,48

Coordinated by

BIOLAN MICROBIOSENSORES SL
Spain

Project description

Biosensors for food safety

Determination of the histamine content is of paramount importance for the food industry as a parameter of the hygienic quality and freshness of food, as well as to prevent allergy-like food poisoning. More sensitive and user-friendly methods for histamine monitoring are needed to early detect products and raw materials susceptible of becoming hazardous for consumers. To reach this objective, an innovative and powerful semi-rational protein engineering strategy will be used to maximise the sensitivity of the currently available histamine enzyme-based biosensor. Histamine dehydrogenase (HADH) enzyme has the most excellent substrate specificity toward histamine and using the structural available information in tandem with advanced computational modelling tools BIOIMPROVE aims to develop an improved and highly sensitive portable biosensing device for the quantification of histamine in the lower concentration range.

Objective

Determination of the histamine content is of paramount importance for the food industry as a parameter of the hygienic quality and freshness of food, as well as to prevent scombroid fish poisoning, an allergy-like food poisoning. At present, more sensitive and user-friendly methods for histamine monitoring are needed to early detect products and raw materials susceptible of becoming hazardous for consumers. BIOIMPROVE aims to develop an improved and highly sensitive portable biosensing device for the quantification of histamine in the lower concentration range (<5 mg/l). To reach this objective, an innovative and powerful semi-rational protein engineering strategy will be used to maximize the sensitivity of the currently available histamine enzyme-based biosensor. Rather than addressing this goal by the generation and screening of large libraries, a careful selection of the most promising mutational hotspots will be performed using the structural available information in tandem with advanced computational modelling tools. Dr. Gangoiti will carry out BIOIMPROVE project at BIOLAN Microbiosensores, a Spanish SME focused on the development of biosensors capable of detecting health and food-related molecules. To support her research, she will conduct a secondment at CIC bioGUNE, a research centre that has a strong reputation in protein computational design. Thanks to this multidisciplinary research environment, Dr. Gangoiti will have the opportunity of gaining not only a high level of complementary expertise in areas of key importance in the enzyme technology field, but also the competences required for pursuing a successful research career either in industry or academy. Most importantly, the implementation of BIOIMPROVE project is expected to ensure histamine contamination to be identified at all stages of the food chain, ultimately guaranteeing food safety for European consumers.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering › electronic engineering › sensors › biosensors
• engineering and technology › environmental biotechnology › biosensing
• engineering and technology › other engineering and technologies › food technology › food safety
• natural sciences › biological sciences › biochemistry › biomolecules › proteins › enzymes

Keywords

• Enzyme
• Protein Engineering
• Electrochemical Biosensor
• Food Safety
• Histamine

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-2018 - Individual Fellowships

Call for proposal

H2020-MSCA-IF-2018

Funding Scheme

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

Coordinator

BIOLAN MICROBIOSENSORES SL

• Net EU contribution: € 172 932,48
• Address: CALLE LAIDA BIDEA PARQUE CIENTIFICO Y TECHNOLOGICO EDIFICIO 409 ; 48170 Zamudio ; Spain
• SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes:
  Region
  Noreste › País Vasco › Bizkaia
• Region: Noreste › País Vasco › Bizkaia
• Activity type: Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
• Total cost: € 172 932,48