Αγαπητά μέλη της πανεπιστημιακής κοινότητας,
Την Τρίτη, 31 Μαρτίου, ώρα 12:00, θα πραγματοποιηθεί διάλεξη με θέμα:
“Advanced functional materials for next-generation (bio)sensors”
Oμιλητής: Marco Cosumi, Assoc. Professor of Analytical Chemistry in the Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy at University of Siena, Italy
Τόπος: Αίθουσα Σεμιναρίων Τμήματος Χημείας
Η διάλεξη πραγματοποιείται στο πλαίσιο του προγράμματος Erasmus+ staff mobility for teaching και του μεταπτυχιακού προγράμματος ‘Αναλυτική Χημεία & Νανοτεχνολογία’ του Τμήματος Χημείας
Περίληψη
This lecture addresses the urgent need for next-generation sensing technologies capable of delivering rapid, sensitive, and minimally invasive diagnostics across healthcare, environmental monitoring, and food safety. It focuses on how the integration of nanostructured materials and soft matter is redefining the performance limits of two key analytical platforms: quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and electrochemical sensors.
The first part will examine QCM-based immunosensors, highlighting how rational interface engineering enables a substantial improvement in sensitivity and analytical reliability. By exploiting nanostructured coatings—such as thiolated self-assembled monolayers and hyaluronic acid-coated solid lipid nanoparticles (HA-SLNs)—it is possible to enhance surface area, control biomolecular interactions, and amplify signal response. These concepts will be demonstrated through a QCM immunosensor for haptoglobin detection in serum, offering a practical and less invasive alternative to cerebrospinal fluid analysis for neuroinflammation monitoring.
The second part will focus on electrochemical sensing, emphasising the role of hydrogels as adaptive and highly tunable materials. Their ability to host biomolecules, regulate mass transport, and efficiently transduce biochemical events into electrical signals makes them particularly attractive for wearable and implantable devices. Recent advances will be discussed to illustrate how hydrogel-based systems are enabling continuous, real-time monitoring in complex matrices.
Finally, the lecture will highlight emerging opportunities offered by advanced nanomaterials, with particular attention to metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Their exceptional porosity, chemical versatility, and structural tunability open new directions for the design of high-performance sensing interfaces, enabling enhanced selectivity and sensitivity in both QCM and electrochemical configurations.
By bridging nanomaterials, hydrogels, and transduction strategies, this lecture provides a forward-looking perspective on how material-driven innovation is accelerating the transition towards robust, point-of-care sensing technologies. It is intended to equip doctoral researchers with both conceptual frameworks and practical insights to design the next generation of smart, high-performance biosensors.
Short CV
Prof. Marco Consumi specializes in bio-interfacing smart polymers and sensors, leveraging the versatility of soft materials to develop (bio)sensors with groundbreaking functionalities aimed at improving human health. He earned his Ph.D. in Biomaterials in the early 2000s and, following postdoctoral research, became Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry at the University of Siena. His current research focuses on advanced smart materials—including nanoparticles, 3D scaffolds, thin films and coatings, and composite materials—with applications spanning biosensing, drug delivery, functional coatings, agri-food analysis, and waste treatment.
In addition, Prof. Consumi serves as the scientific manager of the instrumentation within the University of Siena’s “Mass Spectrometry Platform for Food and Health” a state-of-the-art facility equipped with a wide range of high-end mass spectrometry systems. These instruments are primarily employed for the analysis of food and agricultural products to ensure their safety and certify their geographical traceability.
He has co-authored over 70 publications in peer-reviewed journals and has been actively involved in numerous national and international funded projects.
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Με εκτίμηση
Δέσποινα Καλογιάννη
Αναπλ. Καθηγήτρια Αναλυτικής Χημείας & Νανοτεχνολογίας
Τμήμα Χημείας
Πανεπιστήμιο Πατρών