The University of Oulu is at the forefront of developing cutting-edge biosensor technology that could revolutionize the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The multidisciplinary research project, Next-Generation Molecular Sensors, led by Professor Caglar Elbuken, has secured nearly one million euros in funding from the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation to support a three-year research initiative.
The project brings together five research groups at the University of Oulu, involving nearly 80 researchers. In addition to Professor Elbuken, the principal investigators include Professors Aki Manninen, Seppo Vainio, and Simo Saarakkala, as well as the Assistant Professor Jian-An Huang. The project integrates expertise from diverse fields, including biochemistry, biophysics, optical nanotechnology, microfluidics, and cell biology.
Biosensors play a critical role in healthcare and life sciences, enabling the precise measurement of biomolecules in the body, such as proteins. This precision is vital for early disease detection and for monitoring the effectiveness of treatments.
Currently, biosensors are employed in a range of medical applications, including monitoring blood glucose levels in diabetes management and diagnosing heart diseases by detecting biomarkers indicative of heart attacks. Research is also underway to develop biosensors for the early detection of cancer.
Particularly promising are ultrasensitive biosensors capable of detecting single molecules. However, advancing these technologies requires innovations that achieve higher sensitivity and lower limit of detection based on specific applications, along with integrated data analysis capabilities.
The project team at the University of Oulu aims to develop molecular biosensors capable of identifying and measuring individual biomolecules at the cellular level. By leveraging