Nanotechnology for Diagnostics
Code: 43433 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4314939 Advanced Nanoscience and Nanotechnology | OT | 0 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Arben Merkoçi Hyka
- Email:
- Desconegut
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- english (eng)
Teachers
- Víctor Franco Puntes
External teachers
- Claudio Parolo
- Giulio Rosati
- Mari Carmen Estévez
- Maria Soler
Prerequisites
The same admission requirements as the ones to be admited to the Master's Degree:
A degree certificate in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Telecommunication Electronic Engineering, Materials Engineering, or another degree whose contents fit the profile of this master's degree. You may also be admitted to the master's degree if you hold an official university degree issued in Spain (in compliance with the legal ordinance prior to the Royal Decree 1393/2007) or in another country, as long as its contents are closely related to the subjects offered in the master's degree.
- Good level of English, equivalent to Level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Objectives and Contextualisation
Learning theoretical and practical aspects of the main principles of the synthesis and characterisation of nanomaterials including examples of their integration into systems with interest for clinical, food and environmental diagnostics.
Competences
- Analyse research results to obtain new products or processes, assessing their industrial and commercial viability with a view to transferring them to society
- Analyse the benefits of nanotechnology products, within one's specialisation, and understand their origins at a basic level
- Communicate and justify conclusions clearly and unambiguously to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously
- Designing and applying nanomaterials and nanoparticles in diagnosis and therapy in biological systems. (specialty nanobiotechnology)
- Identify and distinguish the synthesis/manufacture techniques for nanomaterials and nanodevices typically adopted in one's specialisation.
- Identify the characterisation and analysis techniques typically adopted in nanotechnology and know the principles behind these, within one's specialisation.
- Seek out information in the scientific literature using appropriate channels, and use this information to formulate and contextualise a research topic.
- Show expertise in using scientific terminology and explaining research results in the context of scientific production, in order to understand and interact effectively with other professionals.
- Solve problems in new or little-known situations within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the field of study.
- Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse research results to obtain new products or processes, assessing their industrial and commercial viability with a view to transferring them to society.
- Classify electrochemical bioanalysis techniques based on nanomaterials.
- Communicate and justify conclusions clearly and unambiguously to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Continue the learning process, to a large extent autonomously
- Describe the basic aspects of using nanoparticles to obtain images for diagnosis.
- Describe the main contaminants in foods, water and the environment.
- Identify optical bioanalysis techniques based on nanomaterials.
- Identify requisites for using nanomaterials in imaging, nanoparticle introduction techniques, and image reading/processing.
- Identify the basic principles of the MRI technique and choose the appropriate contrast agent.
- Identify the principal techniques for synthesising and functionalising nanomaterials for use in diagnosis.
- Seek out information in the scientific literature using appropriate channels, and use this information to formulate and contextualise a research topic.
- Show expertise in connection routes between nanomaterials and biomolecules as antibodies, DNA, etc.
- Show expertise in using scientific terminology and explaining research results in the context of scientific production, in order to understand and interact effectively with other professionals.
- Solve problems in new or little-known situations within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the field of study.
- Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.
Content
Topics:
o Nanomaterials (nanoparticles, nanowires, nanotubes, graphene etc.) with interest for diagnostics. Main methods of synthesis and characterisation.
o Chemical and biological functionalization of nanomaterials with bioreceptors (ex. antibodies, DNA etc.) and other synthetic compounds.
o Generals aspects on clinical (in-vivo, in-vitro) (ex. DNA, proteins, cells etc.), environmental (ex. pollutants) and food diagnostics. Conventional analytical and point-of-care technologies and their relation with nanotechnology and nanomaterials.
o Design and application of nanobiosensors (optical, electrochemical, magnetic etc.), lateral flow and lab-on-a-chip with interest for diagnostics (clinical, environmental, security etc.).
With details:
Claudio Parolo (8 hours)
Introduction to sensors and biosensors. Types of bioreceptors: enzymes, antibodies, DNA, aptamers. Sensing designs: direct, competitive, non-competitive. Laboratory-bound and point-of-care biosensors: ELISA vs lateral flow assays.
Victor Puntes (7 hours)
Nanoparticles (synthesis and characterisation); Gold nanoparticles and quantum dots; general properties, characterization methods; Modification of nanoparticles and quantum dots with antibodies, peptides etc.;
Laboratory demonstration of gold nanoparticles and quantum dots synthesis and modification. Location: Inorganic nanoparticles Lab at ICN2 (Bellaterra, UAB).
Giulio Rosati (8 hours)
Overview of biosensing transduction methods; Main biosensors fabrication methods; Biosensing performance factors; Focus on electrochemical sensors and biosensors: literature fast review and examples of commercial biosensors.
Arben Merkoçi (7 hours)
Nanoparticles, quantum dots and graphene applications in biosensing systems; General properties, modifications and integration into diagnostic devices; Applications examples for DNA, protein and cancer cells diagnostics using electrochemical(voltammetry, electrochemical stripping etc.) methods. Laboratory demonstration of an electrochemical and lateral flow based biosensing system for proteins detection. Nanoparticles preparation, modification and typical biosensing procedure. Location: Nanobioelectronics & Biosensors Lab at ICN2 (Bellaterra, UAB).
Maria Soler, Mari Carmen Estévez (8 hours)
Definition of biosensor devices; Main characteristics of biosensors; Classification and Applications; Overview of the different types of biosensors; Introduction to optical biosensors; Evanescent wave sensing principle; Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) biosensor; Photonic sensors based on waveguides (Grating coupler waveguide sensors, Microring resonator sensors; Integrated Interferometers sensors, photonic crystals, silicon wires,...); Laboratory demonstration of optical biosensors including SPR and integrated optical sensors. Location: Nanobiosensors & Bioanalytical Applications Lab at ICN2 (Bellaterra, UAB).
Methodology
Lectures
Oral presentation of works
Preparation of papers
Personal study
Reading articles / reports of interest
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Lectures | 37.5 | 1.5 | 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 8, 7, 14, 3, 4, 15 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Oral presentations of works | 10 | 0.4 | 1, 11, 2, 5, 6, 13, 12, 14, 3, 4, 15 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Personal Study | 50 | 2 | 1, 11, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 8, 7, 14, 4, 15 |
| Reading articles / reports of interest | 40 | 1.6 | 1, 11, 9, 10, 8, 7, 14, 3, 4 |
Assessment
10-30% Assistance and class participation.
20-70% Oral presentation and Reports.
20-70% Exams.
It is possible to have the chance to increase the final synthesis mark in an extra test, if the student has been carried out all the exams along the course, irrespective of the mark.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistance and participation | 10-30% | 0 | 0 | 1, 11, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 12, 8, 7, 14, 3, 4, 15 |
| Exams | 20-70% | 2.5 | 0.1 | 1, 11, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 12, 8, 7, 14, 3, 4, 15 |
| Oral presentations and Reports | 20-70% | 10 | 0.4 | 1, 11, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 12, 8, 7, 14, 3, 4, 15 |
Bibliography
Important books and articles will be mentioned during the lectures. All optional.
Software
Use of standard editing programs to slide show.