NanoBioelectronics and Biosensors
Group Leader: Arben Merkoçi
Main Research Lines
Catalytic/carrier nanomaterials: nanoparticles as electrocatalysts, nanoparticles as biomolecule carriers, and nanowires/nanotubes for non-enzymatic/enzyme mimic sensors
Nanomicrofluidics and lab-on-a-chip technologies
Paper- and nanopaper-based nanobiosensors
Nanochannels: nanoporous membranes as electrical sensing platforms
Graphene: biosensors based on graphene-related materials
In 2020 the group has continued working on two large ongoing European projects. The first one, MICROB-PREDICT (Microbiome-based biomarkers to predict decompensation of liver cirrhosis and treatment response) aims to develop personalised strategies to prevent and treat decompensated cirrhosis and acute-on-chronic liver failure by investigating the human gut microbiome. The second one, CORE 2, is part of the Graphene Flagship project and focuses on the development of graphene-based sensors. After CORE 2 ended in March 2020, we started our participation in the Graphene Flagship’s CORE 3 project in April 2020. The group has also been awarded by CSIC to carry out a project related to the detection of the COVID-19 disease: “Rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 and other viral upper respiratory tract infections through a rapid paper-based device”.
Group Leader
Arben Merkoçi
ICREA Research Professor
arben.merkoci@icn2.cat
ICREA Research Professor and leader of the ICN2 Nanobioelectronics and Biosensors Group, Arben Merkoçi obtained his PhD at the University of Tirana (Albania) in ion selective electrodes. Since 1992 he has carried out research as postdoctoral fellow and research professor at the Polytechnic University of Budapest (Hungary), University of Ioannina (Greece), Università degli Studi di Padova (Italy), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and New Mexico State University (USA). His research is focused on the integration of biological molecules and other species with micro- and nanostructures of interest in the design of novel (bio)sensors.
Prof. Merkoçi is Co-Editor in Chief of Biosensors and Bioelectronics, the principal international journal devoted to research, design development and application of biosensors and bioelectronics, member of editorial board of Electroanalysis, Microchimica Acta and other journals.