Molecular Imprinting Strategies for Sensors and Assays
26/06/2026
The synthesis of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) has established itself as an indispensable tool in generating biomimetic sensors, i.e. systems that aim at implementing bioanalogous recognition abilities into artificial materials. The focus of research has shifted towards implementing MIPs into sensors and assays that are inherently useful for real-life
applications, which has brought substantial attention to questions such as reproducibility and obustness of MIP-based sensors. Especially radically polymerized systems pose a substantial challenge here: the inherently statistical polymerization process makes it difficult to achieve robust synthesis. This seminar talk will highlight two aspects that the group in Vienna has been utilizing to improve applicability in recent years: implementing controlled radical polymerization for generating surface-imprinted thin films and solid-phase synthesis to obtain so-called “MIP nanobodies”, as pioneered in the groups for S. Piletsky in Leicester and K. Haupt in Compiègne. It will cover different analytes ranging from small molecules and eptides to nanoand microsized structures.
|
Many-Body Effects on Quasiparticles: from Excitons to Phonons in 2D Materials
22/06/2026
Crystal elementary excitations, such as phonons, excitons and plasmons, and their momentum dispersions, are a fundamental topic in condensed matter physics. All these quasiparticles can be referred to as charged excitations, as they constitute the poles of the density-density response function $\chi$. Momentum-dependent electron energy-loss spectroscopy (q-EELS) has recently proven to be a pivotal tool for investigating charge excitations in suspended low-dimensional (2D) materials using a transmission electron microscope. In this seminar, I will discuss recent advances in the interpretation of low-momentum q-EELS measurements, along with advances in the calculation of electron-energy losses with manybody perturbation theory, required as electron interaction is enhanced in freestanding 2D materials. Such theoretical schemes are then applied to the study of the fine-structure exciton branch of monolayer hBN, then to the phonon dispersions and linewidths of graphene optical branches with excitonic effects near the Brillouin zone center ($\Gamma$) and corners (K), a regime relevant for transport graphene properties.
|
Self-assembled Chemosensor Arrays
22/06/2026
The cross-reactive receptors of the mammalian olfactory systems allow the detection of multiple odorant molecules simultaneously. The obtained recognition information is data-processed, resulting in the discrimination of odor based on pattern recognition. Such sophisticated recognition fashions in Mother Nature are promising designs for powerful pattern recognition-driven chemical sensing. Real samples such as body fluids, foods and drinks, and environmental water contain various invisible analytes with different structural geometries, sizes, and charges. Therefore, efficient receptor designs
are required, considering the above features of analytes in real-sample analysis. Biogenic receptors, including enzymes and antibodies, are the representative materials that allow selective recognition against specific analytes, based on the lock-and-key models. Meanwhile, synthetic receptors are designed by molecular recognition chemistry, which offers superior cross-reactivity to selective recognition. Chemosensors comprising synthetic receptors and indicators enable visualization of analyte recognition information through changes in colorimetric and/or fluorescent properties. Chemosensors
on an array show various optical properties depending on the types of analytes and their concentrations, which are referred to as fingerprint-like responses. With pattern recognition techniques, optical chemical information can be visualized qualitatively and quantitatively. In this regard, molecular self-assemblies serve as driving forces for obtaining various optical patterns derived from assembly and disassembly in chemical sensing. To date, the author has developed selfassembled chemosensors for pattern recognition and revealed the applicability of this concept to various chemical sensing in water environments. The strategies for chemosensor designs based on molecular self-assembly for multi-component analysis will be introduced in the presentation.
|
Electron or energy transfer in TiO2 Photocatalysis… that is the question
18/06/2026
Electron transfer is generally invoked to explain most of the reported photocatalytic reactions.
However, upon interaction of an electronically excited species (e.g. irradiated TiO2) with another in
its ground state, both electron or energy transfer could in principle take place. These events are
mechanistically and conceptually related, but they evolve differently along the reaction coordinate
depending on several factors.
This contribution will provide some paradigmatic examples showing how surface modification could
address the photocatalytic activity towards prevailing energy transfer based reactions. For instance,
even if with evident differences, surface modifications of TiO2 with silane moieties or with carbon
dots induce similar structural and photoinduced functional features of the resulting photocatalytic
material. In both cases, surface modification changes locally the crystal field of the titanium atoms
and stabilize Ti3+ defects in the sub-surface region. The amount of these paramagnetic centers
appears to be correlated with the formation rate of singlet oxygen, while electron transfer to
superoxide is suppressed.
Surface modification is therefore a useful tool to exploit energy transfer driven reactions. For
instance, energy transfer driven isomerization of caffeic acid has been found to occur effectively in
the presence of modified TiO2. More importantly, the preferential formation of singlet oxygen at the
surface of the irradiated modified semiconductor is an indirect proof of the occurrence of energy
transfer driven reactions. This has been exploited for the epoxidation of limonene and for the design
of oxygen getting nanocomposites.
Even if more direct evidences are required to corroborate these results, the presentation will show
that it is possible to control the nature of the oxidizing species in photocatalytic processes by simple
surface engineering, with extremely intriguing consequences in the field of green organic chemistry.
|
Molecular vital signs: recent advances in in vivo biosensors
15/06/2026
The availability of technologies capable of tracking the levels of drugs, metabolites, and biomarkers in real
time in the living body would revolutionize our understanding of health and our ability to detect and treat
disease. To this end, recent years have seen the development of electrochemical aptamer-based (EAB)
sensors, an in vivo molecular sensing strategy supporting seconds- to sub-second resolution, real-time drug
and biomarker measurements. Composed of an electrode-bound, redox-reporter-modified aptamer that
generates a signal via a binding-induced conformational change, EAB sensors are independent of the
chemical reactivity of their targets and thus, unlike, the continuous glucose monitor, they are adaptable to
any of a wide range of targets. Consistent with this, to date some two dozen drugs, metabolites,
neurotransmitters, and proteins having been successfully measured in the veins, brains, and solid peripheral
tissues of live animal models and, recently, human subjects. In this talk, I will highlight recent advances in this
technology and discuss how continuous molecular monitoring is providing an unprecedented window into
physiology, pharmacology, and disease while laying the foundation for a new generation of precision
medicine.
|
Industry 5.0: From system integration challenges to humancentered design based sustainable solutions
10/06/2026
Today and tomorrow's industry requires modern technology where collaboration takes place between
people, between people and machines and between machines. Machines can monitor themselves,
analyze the results and autonomously optimize operating conditions and production. The result is
higher efficiency and productivity. In this lecture, Prof. Solis will present an overview of the ongoing
projects in research and education at Karlstad University within the applications areas to ageing,
energy, environment and education. In particular, the challenges within Industry 5.0 will be
exemplified with an ongoing research project that deals with human-centered Industry 5.0. In
particular, I will present the integration of machine learning-based 3D gesture recognition system to
make it easier for humans to send commands to a collaborative robot through body language as well
as the integration of mixed reality for visualisation of both 3D cyber space and physical space to
enable bidirectional human-robot interaction. Some other challenges related to adaptive control
methods on battery energy storage in controlled environment plant production systems will be shortly
introduced
|
Engineering Programmable Sense-Decide-Act Systems across Cell-Free and Cell-Based Platforms
8 giugno 2026
Engineering biological systems capable of autonomously sensing environmental signals, processing information, and executing defined responses—sense-decide-act functionality—remains a central goal of synthetic biology. In this talk, I will present our laboratory's efforts toward realizing this goal across both cell-free and cell-based platforms, each offering distinct advantages for programmable biological function.
In cell-free contexts, we developed a one-pot isothermal assay that embodies cell-free sense-compute-respond logic. The system senses a target RNA through probe hybridization and ligation, computes a binary decision—gating T7 polymerase-driven transcription only upon successful ligation—and responds by producing a fluorescent RNA aptamer. We further extended the platform to single-nucleotide polymorphism discrimination by positioning variant bases at the ligation junction, exploiting differential ligation efficiency to resolve single-base differences.
In cell-based contexts, we have developed a genetic circuit design platform that supports a broader logic repertoire than existing tools and is deployable across multiple microbial chassis. By integrating transcription factor-based biosensors with engineered genetic circuits, we construct sense-compute-respond systems in living cells—where sensing of small-molecule ligands and metabolic intermediates is coupled to multi-layered signal processing and programmed biological responses. This enables sustained autonomous function in complex environments, extending programmable behavior beyond single-decision logic toward complex decision-making and actuation.
Together, these cell-free and cell-based capabilities establish a versatile and scalable foundation for programmable biological systems that sense, decide, and act.
|
Il vetro in edilizia: processo produttivo, prestazioni termiche e durabilità del prodotto. Decarbonizzazione della filiera del vetro
4 giugno 2026
Il seminario approfondisce il ruolo delle vetrate isolanti nell’edilizia, con focus sulle prestazioni termiche e sui criteri
di scelta del sistema vetrato.Vengono trattati componenti, rivestimenti basso emissivi e a controllo solare, durabilità delle prestazioni, sicurezza applicativa e quadro normativo di riferimento (UNI EN 1279, UNI 7697). L’incontro affronta inoltre il ruolo dei CAM, del Marchio UNI e degli strumenti LCA/EPD, fino ad ampliare la prospettiva ai processi di decarbonizzazione della filiera vetraria, con particolare riferimento allo scenario italiano e alle traiettorie al 2035–2050.
|
IL RUOLO DELLA CHIMICA ANALITICA NELLE INDAGINI FORENSI: UN DIALOGO DIFFICILE, MA FONDAMENTALE, TRA LINGUAGGIO SCIENTIFICO E LINGUAGGIO GIURIDICO
3 giugno 2026
Il seminario analizza il ruolo della chimica analitica nelle indagini forensi, evidenziando come essa costituisca uno strumento essenziale per la raccolta, l’interpretazione e la valutazione delle tracce materiali nell’ambito dell’attività investigativa. Partendo dal principio di scambio di Locard, secondo cui ogni contatto lascia una traccia, viene illustrata l’importanza del sopralluogo come fase primaria dell’indagine, finalizzata all’individuazione, alla conservazione e all’acquisizione delle fonti di prova.
L’intervento approfondisce il contributo delle discipline chimiche nell’analisi di microtracce, materiali, sostanze stupefacenti, esplosivi e prodotti commerciali, sottolineando il valore delle metodologie scientifiche nella verifica delle ipotesi investigative. Vengono inoltre presentati i concetti di identità relativa, identificazione e individualizzazione, evidenziando il ruolo della comparazione tra campioni di origine ignota e campioni di riferimento.
Particolare attenzione è dedicata al rapporto tra scienza e diritto, con riferimento al procedimento penale, agli accertamenti tecnici ripetibili e irripetibili e ai criteri di ammissibilità e valutazione della prova scientifica. In questo contesto vengono richiamati i criteri Daubert e la sentenza Cozzini, che pongono al centro la verificabilità, la falsificabilità, l’affidabilità del metodo e l’indipendenza dell’esperto.
Il seminario affronta inoltre il tema dell’incertezza e dell’uso degli strumenti statistici nelle scienze forensi, illustrando il contributo del ragionamento probabilistico e dell’approccio bayesiano attraverso il Likelihood Ratio quale misura della forza dell’evidenza rispetto a ipotesi alternative. L’obiettivo finale è mostrare come la moderna scienza forense debba fungere da ponte tra il linguaggio scientifico e quello giuridico, traducendo risultati complessi in informazioni comprensibili e utili al processo decisionale del giudice, nel rispetto dei principi di rigore metodologico, trasparenza e imparzialità.
|
Soft Confinement in Functional Materials: Viscoelastic and Porous Architectures as Enabling Platforms
26/05/2026
Soft confinement in functional materials has emerged as an effective strategy to control chemical
processes by structuring the local environment rather than relying on intrinsically reactive matrices.
The purpose of this contribution is to examine how viscoelastic and porous architectures can operate
as enabling platforms for some (photo)chemical processes, with particular emphasis on their role as
reaction media. Our studies show that the materials primarily act as host environments that modulate
reaction conditions rather than as chemically active participants. Extending this approach, porous
architectures are explored as functional materials in applications where confinement and interfacial
chemistry are decisive, including for instance photocatalytic hydrogen generation, biomedical
platforms, and selective gas capture. In these systems, experimental results reveal that porosity,
chemical functionality, and material architecture govern accessibility, selectivity, and overall
performance. The major conclusion of this work is that soft confinement should be understood as an
enabling design principle that unifies seemingly disparate applications by emphasizing
environmental control, structural organization, and functional versatility, offering a framework for the
development of new materials for energy, sustainability, and chemical technologies.
|
|