Synthetic (Bio)Receptors for Electrochemical Biosensing: Development of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers and Aptamers for ACLF-associated Small-Molecule Biomarkers

Abstract

This doctoral thesis investigates the development and application of advanced biodetection systems, focused on the detection of small molecule biomarkers associated with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). The research begins with a comprehensive introduction to the challenges and opportunities in the use of synthetic receptors (molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and aptamers) as (bio)recognition elements, highlighting their advantages over traditional antibodies and enzymes in the detection of small molecules The thesis then explores the innovative use of MIPs and electroactive MIP nanoparticles (nanoMIPs) for the selective recognition and quantification of biomarkers, taking advantage of their specificity and stability. In addition, the thesis delves into the development and optimization of SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential Enrichment) techniques, using magnetic beads and advanced bioinformatics tools, including next-generation sequencing and MATLAB, for isolation and characterization of aptamers. The integration of these methodologies not only improves the detection capabilities of ACLF-related biomarkers, but also demonstrates the potential range of applications in clinical diagnostic and biosensing technologies.

Date of Award	10 Sept 2024
Original language	English
Supervisor	Arben Merkoçi Hyka (Director), Giulio Rosati (Director) & Andrew Piper (Director)