14/03/2019
On the first of January 2019, the European project SensApp (Super-sensitive detection of Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in plasma by an innovative droplet and split-stack approach) officially started, with the aim of developing a super-sensor for the early diagnosis of the Alzheimer's disease by a simple blood test. Among the 375 proposals submitted to the European Commission under the FET Open pillar of excellence of the Horizon 2020 program, the one coordinated by the Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems (Isasi) was admitted for financing with a stake of over 3 million of Euro. Cnr-Isasi coordinates a European consortium of 6 units including the University of Brussels (Belgium), the University of Linz (Austria), the VTT Research Centre of Finland, the IRCCS Bonino Pulejo of Messina (Italy) and the specialized GINOLIS company in automation systems for diagnostics (Finland). The project also involves some researchers and university professors from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials and Production (University of Naples Federico II), associated with Cnr-Isasi.
"The project aims at developing a completely new super sensor that can detect the specific markers of Alzheimer's disease (beta-amyloid, tau, phosphorylated tau) in a simple drop of blood taken from the patient" says Simonetta Grilli, researcher Cnr- Isasi who will coordinate the consortium. "To date, a certain diagnosis of Alzheimer's is almost impossible. The above-mentioned markers are to be found in the patient's spinal fluid, which is taken by lumbar puncture, a very risky, impractical intervention that requires hospitalization of the patient. Taking into account the wide spread of the disease and the increasing life expectancy, the super sensor developed by the SensApp project will completely revolutionize the clinical approach to Alzheimer's disease with a huge impact on society. The enabling technology is new and we have named it 'droplet-split-and-stack'. It is based on the pyroelectric effect and allows us to overcome the diffusion limits found in traditional immunological tests. "
"SensApp is a beautiful example of a research project that brings together frontier research and cutting-edge technologies able to aggregate excellences on an international scale and to create innovation that has a direct impact on society", says the director of Cnr-Isasi Pietro Ferraro.
Twitter: @SensApp_H2020
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensApp-Project-1078043869041873/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sensapp_h2020/?hl=it
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUKE9GtpuABUb4SruLuWSEw/featured?view_as=subscriber
Per informazioni:
Simonetta Grilli
CNR - Istituto di Scienze Applicate e Sistemi Intelligenti "Eduardo Caianiello"
s.grilli@isasi.cnr.it
081/8675305
Ufficio stampa:
Emanuele Guerrini
Ufficio stampa Cnr
emanuele.guerrini@cnr.it
064993 2644
Responsabile Unità Ufficio stampa:
Marco Ferrazzoli
marco.ferrazzoli@cnr.it
ufficiostampa@cnr.it
06 4993 3383