The objective of the POSEIDON project is to develop a SPR-based biosensing platform for the detection of L. pneumophila bacteria, with high sensitivity and high specificity, translating the results obtained as experimental proof of concept into an operating automated prototype usable in industrially relevant settings and by untrained personnel.
The following challenges will be pursued throughout the development of the project.
- High sensitivity and low detection limit
- Selectivity towards target pathogen detection in order to avoid both false-positive and false-negative results
- Short analysis times
- Ease of use, possibility of on-site monitoring and automation of the sample manipulation and detection procedure.
- Efficient delivery of the bacteria: cells should remain intact throughout the whole fluid transportation system in the device, and should not adhere to the fluidic piping and microfluidic channels, so that virtually all of the bacteria cells in the sample are delivered to the sensing unit.
- The size of the device should allow samples to be analyzed at the point of need rather than in a separate laboratory, allowing reduction of cost per single measurement and increase in throughput.