Towards a convergence of technologies: from sensing and biosensing to information visualization and machine learning for data analysis in clinical diagnosis

Abstract

Grand challenges such as the fabrication of sensing devices for early diagnosis of cancer and detection of food/water contamination can only be addressed with concerted efforts in multidisciplinary research. Selected problems within the above challenges will be tackled in this Project by a multiinstitutional team of physicists, chemists, engineers, medical doctors and computer scientists, with two unifying topics: fabrication and characterization of nanostructured films, particularly those of biological interest, and advanced data analysis methods. More specifically, several types of nanostructured films will be employed in sensing and biosensing. A major goal in such studies is to reach molecular-level understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the sensing characteristics, including interface effects to design organic batteries to supply energy in implantable biosensors. This type of basic research is essential for the design of novel materials, and tools for diagnosis and therapy. Intended applications for the devices are also diverse, mostly concentrating on early diagnosis of cancer, detection of food and/water contamination and monitoring of the environment. Special emphasis will be placed in the fabrication of low-cost devices, not only with novel materials but also exploring methodologies such as microfluidics, in an attempt to produce technology that should be amenable to transfer, e.g. for tests in a cancer hospital. The enormous amounts of data generated with sensing, biosensing and imaging, will be processed with statistical and computational methods, including information visualization and machine learning. This will represent a step toward computer-assisted diagnosis through which data of distinct natures are analyzed within a common framework. (AU)