MRC INTEGRATIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY UNIT (IEU)
SEMINAR SERIES

 Wednesday, 23^rd May, 2018 : 12.30 – 13.30
Room OS6, Second Floor, Oakfield House

 Salzitsa Anastasova, PhD, MRSC, FHEA
Hamlyn Centre, Imperial College, UK

 Sensing, New Materials, Micro- and Nanofabrication

 

Abstract

I will consider a few aspects of my research interests. One is the wearable sensors and the development of a flexible microfluidic platform with fully integrated sensing for on-body testing.  The system can simultaneously and selectively measure metabolite and electrolytes together with temperature sensing for internal calibration. The construction of the platform is designed such that continuous flow of sweat can pass through an array of flexible microneedle type of sensors (50 µm diameter) incorporated in a microfluidic channel. On the other hand, is the development of microscale robotic devices that have potential applications as drug delivery, biosensing, cell manipulation, and microsurgery. The force estimation is achieved using optical interferometry: high-dimensional spectral readings are used to train artificial neural networks to predict the axial force exerted on/by the gripper. Other development is a smart catheter where the purpose is a real-time monitoring and early diagnosis of catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) through a catheter biosensor. The aim of this study is to assess the reliability of the Smart Catheter device in human urine. It is intended to be the first study in a series of studies which will assess the Smart Catheter device’s role in catheter management. The other development is a 3D printed cage for bacteria detection.

Biography

Salzitsa Anastasova obtained her Ph.D. in 2008 from University of Sofia, Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy. From 2008 she worked as a research scientist at University of Regensburg and later in Dublin City University. She was a visiting researcher in Max-Planck Institute and Åbo Akademi University. In 2010 she joined a research group at Queen Mary University and is currently working at Imperial College, Institute for Global Health Innovation on the EPSRC-funded Smart Sensing for Surgery and Micro-Robotics for Surgery Projects. Her research interests involve development of biocompatible, miniaturised, flexible wearable and implantable electrochemical and optical biosensors for reliable, continuous metabolite monitoring and development of smart materials using 3D printing with 2-photon polymerisation.

ALL WELCOME