Keynote Presentation: Design and Translation of Ultrasensitive Diagnostics

This talk will provide an overview of our work in the design of self-assembled, functionalised peptide and protein nanoparticles, hydrogels and bio-interfaces for applications in healthcare. These hybrid materials are of growing importance with potential applications including drug delivery and disease detection. We are developing high-throughput synthesis techniques to diversify peptide libraries and quickly survey properties of interest such as fluorescence and supramolecular behaviour [1]. We design nanomimicking approaches for virus and parasite host cell entry inhibition recently demonstrated for malaria, HSV-2 and SARS-CoV-2 [2], high molecular weight polymer carriers for enhanced delivery of saRNA therapeutics [3], and photo-responsive nanoreactors inspired in the circadian rhythms [4]. We are exploiting the sensing capabilities of functionalised nanoparticles to engineer nanoprobes for in vivo disease diagnostics that produce a colorimetric response ideal for naked eye read-out [5] and for CRISPR-based preamplification free detection of ncRNAs (CrisprZyme) [6]. I will present advances in Raman spectroscopy for high-throughput label-free characterization of single nanoparticles (SPARTA™) that allow us to integrally analyse a broad range bio-nanomaterials without any modification [7]. Finally, I will explore how these versatile technologies can be applied to transformative biomedical innovations and will discuss our efforts in establishing effective translational pipelines to drive our innovations to clinical application while actively engaging in efforts towards the democratisation of healthcare [8].

[1] Y. Lin, … M. M. Stevens. ACS Nano. 2021. 15(3); 4034-4044.

[2] A. Najer, … M.M. Stevens. ACS Central Science. 2022. 8(9): 1238–1257

[3] A. Blakney, … M. M. Stevens. ACS Nano. 2020, 14(5): 5711-5727.

[4] O. Rifaie-Graham, … M.M. Stevens. Nature Chemistry. 2023. 15: 110–118.

[5] C. N. Loynachan, … M. M. Stevens. Nature Nanotechnology. 2019. 14: 883-890.

[6] M. Broto, … M. M. Stevens. Nature Nanotechnology. 2022. 10: 1038.

[7] J. Penders, … M. M. Stevens. Nature Communications. 2018, 9: 4256.; J. Penders, … M. M. Stevens. ACS Nano. 2021, 15, 11, 18192–18205; H. Barriga, … M. M. Stevens. Advanced Materials. 2021, 34(26):2200839.

[8] A. T. Speidel, … M. M. Stevens. Nature Materials. 2022. DOI: 10.1038/s41563-022-01348-5.

Learning Objectives:

1. Define the steps involved in the CrisprZyme assay.

2. Describe the range of nanomaterials that can be studied with SPARTA technology.

3. Describe the advantages of SPARTA technology.