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CODE 106747
ACADEMIC YEAR 2023/2024
CREDITS
SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR ING-IND/34
LANGUAGE English
TEACHING LOCATION
  • GENOVA
SEMESTER 2° Semester
TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB

OVERVIEW

The course aims to providing an overview of the enabling technologies, working principles, and applications of biosensors as well as microsystems of interest in biomedicine. Specific transduction principles and fabrication processes will be detailed with a quantitative approach. The peculiar possibilities offered by biosensors and microsystems in medical diagnostics, disease treatment and therapy will be highlighted.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of the course is to provide the basic concepts of biosensing in terms of sensing elements (suitable biomolecules and their immobilization strategies), recognition mechanisms (biocalattic and affinity based) and transducing principles (focusing on electrochemical and optical transducers). Some design principles based on target specifications will be also given as well as an overview of the main application fields of biosensors. The second part of the course aims at introducing the main concepts of microsystems applied to biomedicine and biotechnology, with emphasis on the scaling laws governing miniaturization, the fabrication techniques, and some specific aspects such as microfluidics and integration.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Biosensors: 

- to understand working principles of biosensors

- to read and understand the biosensor "jargon"

- to critically view their potential applications and advantages compared to standard analytical techniques

• chemical- and bio-sensor definitions

• most important figures of merit

• biorecognition elements and immobilization procedures

• transducing principles

• main areas of applications

Microsystems:

• to get an overview of

   – the main components of a microsystem

   – the physical phenomena ruling at the microscale

• to learn the most common fabrication technologies for microsystems (to become familiar with the possibilities and limitations of such technologies)

• to get an overview the main biomedical applications of microsytems and products on the market

• to see some future trends and promising technologies

PREREQUISITES

Basic knowledge of biochemistry and physics

TEACHING METHODS

- lectures in the classroom

- flipped classroom for some topics.

- one labwork

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• basic concepts of Chemical- and Bio- Sensors

  – physical/chemical/bio sensor definitions/classification

  – molecular bonds

  – proteins (antibodies, enzymes) and nucleic acids

  – sensor characteristics

• molecular sensing elements (bioreceptors)

• immobilization techniques

• immunoassays

• transducers

  – electrochemical

    • amperometric/potentiometric electrodes

    • FET-based

  – optical

  - piezoelectric

Microsystems

• introduction (definitons, some examples, miniaturization)

• scaling laws

• microfluidics

• silicon microfabrication techniques

• alternative microfabrication techniques

• packaging

• microactuators

• microsystems in biotechnology and medicine

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Slide and other teaching materials will be provided

Additional materials will be made avaiable on the course aualweb page

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

ROBERTO RAITERI (President)

SERGIO MARTINOIA

LAURA PASTORINO (President Substitute)

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The ezam will consist in an oral test

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The aim of the exam will be to evaluate the level of the learning outcomes of the course reached by the student.

Exam schedule

Data appello Orario Luogo Degree type Note
16/02/2024 09:00 GENOVA Esame su appuntamento
13/09/2024 09:00 GENOVA Esame su appuntamento

Agenda 2030 - Sustainable Development Goals

Agenda 2030 - Sustainable Development Goals
Good health and well being
Good health and well being