CIFS · Induced fit as a generalizable strategy to accelerate biosensor kinetics for continuous monitoring applications

The advent of continuous monitoring has transformed the treatment of patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, offering real-time information on their blood sugar levels. Nevertheless, the advancement of continuous monitoring biosensors (CMB) for additional biomarkers beyond glucose is impeded by the slow dissociation kinetics of numerous recognition elements utilised in CMB, resulting in time lags and erroneous determination of concentrations. This proposal aims to address this universal problem in continuous monitoring by shifting the focus to the kinetic programming of biosensors. In particular, my goal is to develop a novel and universal sensing architecture that will enhance the performance of CMB by accelerating the binding and unbinding events between a bioreceptor and its analyte. To this end, I will leverage my foundational work on nature-inspired regulatory strategies to implement the induced fit (IF) strategy in CMB. This innovative approach has the potential to markedly enhance the performance of CMB for a diverse array of sensing applications, facilitating more precise and rapid monitoring of biomarkers in a multitude of clinical settings.This fellowship built on my background in fundamental chemistry, leveraging my experiences in exploring new concepts for biosensing using DNA-based models and combining that with the recognized expertise in synthetic biology, protein engineering, and biosensors of Prof. Maarten Merkx at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e, Netherlands). In addition to the research component, this fellowship will provide me with transferable skills that are essential for a successful academic career, including proposal writing, student supervision, leadership, and event organization. The research opportunities and professional development offered by this fellowship would be invaluable in helping me establish myself as an independent and successful principal investigator.