Open Technology

Sensors are widely used in everyday life as our interface with the world. Most of the molecular events and many analytes are invisible to the human eye. Therefore it is necessary to develop both sensors and devices for a better understanding of our world. 

In our laboratory, we are developing multiple chemical sensors for the detection of various analytes in soil, nutrients as well as toxic contaminants, water, and food. The sensors technology developed in our laboratory vary from the synthesis and characterization of organic molecules to the modification and use of different nanoparticles. 

The sensor research line is running together with the development of cheap and portable devices using standard electronics and programming. One example of this approach is our recently developed ESCARGOT for the fabrication of microfluidic devices. 

Currently, we are developing an integrated device for the detection of malaria, together with the Entomology group at WUR, various sensors for the detection and quantification of metal ions in soil, and on the detection of toxic spores from different samples. 

Our expertise within the sensors and devices field lays in: synthetic organic chemistry and supramolecular chemistry; inorganic chemistry; analytical chemistry, spectroscopy and NMR; microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip devices; electronics and programming of simple and cheap devices;