Biosensor project for disease detection wins CNPq funding

The research will develop a platform for viral detection in a portable biosensor. The work incorporates the use of metallic nanoparticles to improve the sensitivity and efficiency of a device capable of biomonitoring diseases, especially in hard-to-reach places. The funding amounts to almost R$600,000 and was obtained from the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) in an open call in August, within the MCTI Graphene Innovation Program, in Line 2 (TRL4 with prototypes under development).

According to Ana Champi, the UFABC professor responsible for the project, the investment will be used to purchase consumables and to carry out measurements and tests with the other institutions taking part in the research: the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), the Federal University of Uberlandia (Pontal Campus), Fiocruz, the Pasteur Institute and the Adolfo Lutz Institute. The funding also includes two doctoral scholarships, two master's scholarships and four scientific initiation scholarships. The researcher recalls that the work is being carried out in conjunction with VRS (an arm of the company 2Mi), which conducts research in the field of information technology.

The main aim of the project is to develop a platform based on graphene nanomaterial biosensors, which will increase the efficiency and sensitivity of equipment for detecting new viruses and their variants. According to Ana Champi, the devices with this technology will have a response time of 50 seconds. The scientist says that the expectation is to expand a non-existent branch of scientific research in Latin America: the manufacture of portable biosensors for biomonitoring new pandemics.

Demonstrating the manufacture of the portable reduced graphene oxide (rGO) electrochemical biosensor. Image: Prof. Ana Melva Champi Farfan (UFABC).

Portable detector developed by Prof. Ana Champi's team. Image: Prof. Ana Melva Champi Farfan (UFABC).

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