PBSA · PHOTONIC BIOSENSOR FOR SPACE APPLICATION

PBSA project is focused on the implementation of a Lab-on-a-chip (LoC) for space Life exploratory missions. Advanced terrestrial technologies in the field of biosensors are combined for the development of a novel solution ready to be tested for the space environment. This approach employs recent advances in the space developed biochemistry related to immunoassays with two main novel technologies, photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and microfluidics, with promising features for the space domain.The use of PIC enables the implementation of highly integrated solutions for the implementation of a LoC. Multiple detection can be integrated into a single chip for multiple parallel analyses. This technology has shown to be very sensitive and improves protocol simplicity compared with other techniques such as the fluorescent approach that requires labelling steps. The PIC based solution permits direct measurement of the target analytes leading to savings in the complexity of the detection protocols and reliability. Moreover, this feature is very suitable for remote sensing in space applications where savings in reagents are very valuable.Partner’s skills are very well complemented. The know-how in immunoassay chemistry for space field is combined with the expertise in CMOS photonic integrated circuits and active microfluidics. Finally control electronics and integration will be done by a specialist in space.Both photonic and microfluidic systems optimize critical parameter in space applications (volume and mass) enabling new opportunities. These benefits apply also to terrestrial market. The huge growth of the terrestrial biosensing field has been mainly focused to simple low cost devices. In this pursue a niche is left for an especial application within harsh environments. Tropical disease, monitoring of processes at high temperatures, exploration inside the earth or security applications are opportunities where hardened biosensors find a niche market to be developed.