On July 18th  at 10.30 a.m., in room A209 Polo Scientifico e Tecnologico Fabio Ferrari,  Tatevik Chalyan will present her thesis “Optical Biosensors for Mycotoxin Detection in Milk”

Abstract

Optical biosensors, and in particular label-free optical biosensors have become one of the most active and attractive fields within the biosensing devices. The portability and the possibility to set free from the laboratory settings gave a new hint for integrated photonic biosensors development and use in numerous applications. Integrated photonic sensors have shown very promising results, and in particular, devices like WGM resonators and interferometers are showing high sensitivities and miniaturization abilities, which allow the realization of an integrated complete lab-on-chip device.

The main goal of my thesis is the development of an optical biosensor for the fast and comprehensive detection of carcinogenic Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) mycotoxin. The acceptable maximum level of AFM1 in milk according to European Union regulations, is 50 ng/L equivalent to 152 pM for the adults and 25 ng/L equivalent to 76 pM for the infants, respectively.