Research Newsletter - Issue 110: Good News

Horizon Europe EIC Pathfinder Open award

PI: Professor Silvia Giordani (School of Chemical Sciences)

Project Title: ALERT: Multianalyte digital sensing with QR-code microneedles for minimally invasive early diagnosis of Alzheimer 

Coordinating Institution: University of Pisa

The ALERT project introduces a groundbreaking leap in medical diagnostics, redefining in-vivo sensing with a pioneering digital approach. 

This revolutionary technology centers on multianalyte digital sensing via QR-coded microneedles—engineered for minimally invasive, highly accurate, and real-time measurement of critical disease biomarkers directly from plasma beneath the skin.

Seamlessly integrating digital innovation with advanced biomedical sensing, ALERT’s microneedles encode biomarker data into a scannable digital QR code, enabling instant and precise diagnostics. 

These microneedles operate through a unique binary fluorescence mechanism, switching distinctly "on" or "off" when biomarker concentrations cross predefined clinical thresholds. 

This digital paradigm eradicates the need for external calibration—a key limitation of traditional analog chemical sensors—ensuring enhanced accuracy, reliability, and ease of use in real-world applications. 

With a main focus on early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), ALERT tackles a pressing global health challenge, particularly urgent given the rapidly aging population. 

Beyond revolutionizing AD diagnostics, ALERT’s digital QR-code microneedle platform holds vast potential for broader medical applications, including early detection of cancer, sepsis, and infectious diseases. Its adaptability extends even further, with applications in environmental monitoring, precision agriculture, and food safety.