Microfluidics Liquid Crystal Based Bifuncional Bacterial Infeccion Sensor

Acronym:

Microfluidics Liquid Crystal Based Bifuncional Bacterial Infeccion Sensor

Project Title:

Microfluidics Liquid Crystal Based Bifuncional Bacterial Infeccion Sensor

Duration:

01/11/2015 – 31/10/2018

Principal Investigator NOVA.id.FCT/FCT-UNL:

Pedro Almeida

Abstract: 

The aim of this project is to develop a low cost, energy free and easy to use bacterial infection sensor. To be able to develop and optimize such a device, a multidisciplinary research team was gathered, including researchers from different scientific areas to accomplish the several tasks: Physics, Chemistry and Life Sciences.

There is currently an urgent need for fast diagnostic methods as the available approaches are time-consuming and based on culture- or molecular biology-based techniques. The presence of muropeptide (MR) molecules and DNA in sterile body fluids is the first warning of a bacterial infection. The detection of these structures is therefore an opportunity for clinical diagnostic at early stage.