The NANOPEC project aims to develop a flexible, wearable microfluidic photoelectrochemical sensor for detecting cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in saliva. This biomarker is used to identify heart muscle injury, including acute myocardial infarction. The sensor will incorporate a nanohybrid system based on zinc oxide nanostructures and graphene quantum dots. The graphene quantum dots are planned to be produced from plastic waste, combining sustainable materials development with advances in medical technology. The project aims to create a sensitive, selective, and cost-effective sensing solution that could enable non-invasive, on-demand cTnI detection in the future and contribute to earlier diagnosis of cardiac injury.
Project funding:
EU Research and Innovation Funding Programme “Horizon Europe”
Project results:
The NANOPEC project aims to develop a prototype of a flexible, wearable microfluidic photoelectrochemical sensor for detecting cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in saliva. The sensor is expected to enable rapid, non-invasive detection of this biomarker of heart muscle injury without the need for additional labels. The project will also develop sustainable nanomaterials from plastic waste and evaluate the sensor’s sensitivity, selectivity, and operational stability. The expected results could contribute to the future development of rapid diagnostic technologies and more sustainable medical solutions.
Period of project implementation: 2027-02-01 - 2029-01-31
Project coordinator: Kaunas University of Technology
