“IoT system for automatic detection of pathogens in water through artificial intelligence, biotechnology and nano SERS technology integration for the prevention and control of infectious outbreaks in aquaculture farms (SERSBIOTech)” aims to develop a new generation of ultrasensitive biosensors based on the combined use of nanochemistry, molecular recognition and bio-functionalization, in a lateral flow chromatography (LFA) system integrated in Raman scattering spectroscopy (SERS) software. The research project is developed by the following consortium: SISTEMAS AUDIOVISUALES ITELSIS, SL (coordinator), LINCBIOTECH, GALICIAN MARINE AQUACULTURE SL (GMA), SOLUCIONES Y PROYECTOS DE INFORMACIÓN SL (SIXTEMA) and MESTRELAB RESEARCH SL, further supported by the two research institutions of the University of Vigo and CETGA.
The project is funded by the Axencia Galega de Innovación (GAIN), through the Conecta hubs program and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the FEDER Galicia 2014-2020 operational program. It also has the support of the Vicepresidencia Segunda e Consellería de Economía, Empresa e Innovación.
The SERSBIOTech project proposes the development of a real-time detection system for pathogens in water through the development of a reliable biosensor for in situ and remote monitoring of infectious diseases of great relevance to the aquaculture industry. This system would cover the current need that exists in the sector for the development of new rapid and automated detection systems for the detection of pathogens.
General and technical objectives of the Project:
Objective I: Development of effective nanostructures with plasmonic SERS coding.
Objective II: Development of bio-receptors for the detection of specific analytes.
Objective III: Development of functionalization strategies for nanostructures for the incorporation of bio-receptors.
Objective IV: Development of the lateral flow chromatography system coupled to SERS.
Objective V: Sensor development and data validation.
Objective VI: Design and development of a HW platform.
Objective VII: Design and development of a SW platform.
Objective VIII: Prototypes on-site testing.
Advances during 2021
- Raman communication interface.
- Definition of the data model to extract from the Raman.
- Development of a software system able to read and visualize, process and analyze Raman spectral Information in the cloud using a distributed software architecture.
- Optical characterization of synthetic nanostructures. Fabrication and characterization of SERS-encoded nanoparticles.
Advances during 2022
- Input converter for spectroscopic data and metadata.
- New automatic baseline correction tool for Raman spectra.
- Fully operational distributed environment to interact with the core processing and analysis software system.
- Measurement of SERS markers in antibody functionalised nanoparticles in the presence/absence of pathogens.
Advances during 2023
- Integration and normalization of Raman spectral intervals.
- Assessment and optimization of laser spots for scanning lateral flow test strips.
- Developed system integration middleware, Mestrelab, Itelsis and Sixtema with capacity to perform Raman analysis in real time:
- Raman analysis service on SERS markers.
- Data analysis and processing and integration of results in the global platform.
- Platform installers, including analysis server, Mnova and Mgears.
- Installation and configuration in development environment in integration in Itelsis CPD.
