Nanobiosensors and Bioanalytical Applications

Group leader: Laura M. Lechuga

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Overview

Main research lines

Plasmonics (SPR) and nanoplasmonics (LSPR) biosensors
Nanophotonic biosensors based on Silicon Photonics technology
Customised polymer microfluidic devices and flow delivery systems
Full integration in lab-on-a-chip and point-of-care biosensor analytical platforms
Universal biofunctionalisation techniques and biochip packaging
Bioanalytical applications in clinical, environmental and molecular biology, providing application-specific functionalities

Group leader

Laura M. Lechuga

CSIC Research Professor and Group Leader

Prof. Laura M. Lechuga received her PhD in Chemistry from the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain) in 1992. She is Full Professor of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Head of the Nanobiosensors and Bioanalytical Applications Group at the Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2) in Barcelona (Spain) and at the Networking Biomedical Research Center (CIBER-BBN).

The principal focus of her research is the development of novel nanobiosensor devices based on nanoplasmonics and silicon-based photonics principles for point-of-care diagnostics. Prof. Lechuga has been at the forefront of the Photonic Biosensor area during more than eighteen years, making key contributions and opening new horizons in this field. Her research activities have encompassed from fundamental research to the technological operation of complete sensing platforms, including the technological transfer into products of social applicability. Her Group is considered as a world reference in this field.

She has published over 300 publications (articles, book chapters and proceedings), has 8 families of patents, and has presented her work worldwide in more than 430 invited talks. She has co-founded two spin-off companies. She is Associate Editor for international journals in the field of engineering, chemistry, and optics, belongs to the Scientific Advisory Committees of highly prestigious national and international institutions and participates regularly in high-level international scientific evaluation panels (such as Panel Chair for ERC Adv. grants).

The quality of her research has been recognised with prestigious prizes and awards, such as the Spanish National Research Prize in 2020, the King Jaume I Award in New Technologies in 2020, the Ada Byron 2020 Prize, the Physics, Innovation and Technology Prize from the Spanish Royal Physics Society (RSEF) and BBVA Foundation in 2016, the XVIII Burdinola Research Award in 2021, the 2021 Medal of the International Foundation Olof Palme and the Doctorate Honoris Causa awarded by the University of Cádiz, among others.

In addition, she has been carrying out a significant science dissemination activity for more than 25 years, being one of the national pioneers in this field, with numerous TV, radio, podcast, social media, press interviews, as well as conferences and articles for scientific popularization at national and international level.

From April 2020 to September 2021, she belonged to the Expert Scientific Panel advising the Ministry of Science and Innovation and the Spanish Government in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.