Microalgae biomass has a strong potential as alternative, 3rd generation non crop-based biofuel. Biofuel production from microalgal biomass also directly tackles the paramount problem of climate change: fuel produced from carbon fixation from atmosphere drastically cuts the CO2 footprint of energy production. The efforts to face scarcity of resources and climate change is even more important in the...
The SPHINX project aims building an ultrafast X-ray holographic camera able to record images of microscopic samples and of their internal parts with nanometer resolution. The proposal is based on a new implementation of the phase-contrast holography, that overcomes the main limitations encountered in the current systems (mostly based on absorption-contrast), namely the low energy...
Many aspects of modern life can be improved by rapid, non-contact identification of chemicals. To control and understand harmful gasses we need to detect transport emissions in real city environments and also map them across continents. To keep European citizens and infrastructure safe we need to be able to scan for traces of explosive or...
Sensor technology impacts almost all major technologies and new and improved sensor systems will continue to be needed in the future. This project will develop a new paradigm for ultra-high-speed laser manufacturing of low-cost novel micro- and nano-sensor structures and smart 2-D sensory materials that could be even flexible and wearable. These could lead to...
Glass is one of the oldest materials used by mankind. In terms of its optical properties as well as mechanical, chemical and physical resilience, glass remains unmatched and significantly outperforms polymers in most applications in academia and industry. However, glass is notoriously difficult to shape and thus is often disfavoured over polymers. For novel, innovative...
Cancer is among the main causes for death in the EU. According to Eurostat more than 350,000 cancer-related surgeries in Germany and France were carried out in 2016 only. All surgeries face the same challenge: Was all cancerous tissue removed from the patient? Answering this question reliably during the surgery itself is vital, but unfortunately not possible...
Radiation in the 1GHz-10THz range has attracted growing attention in the last 20 years from both a basic science and an application points of view. On the one hand, several studies in modern science, such as Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), Axion-Like Particles (ALPs), arrangement of proteins and electron/hole/phonon dynamics, show distinctive signals in this frequency...
The overall aim of neaR-infrarEd resonant caVity enhancEd grAphene/siLicon photodetectors (REVEAL) is both to develop processes for the integration of graphene into a silicon (Si) technology platform and to realise high-performance Si-based photodetectors (PDs) operating at 1550 nm. Indeed, whilst the introduction of new material like graphene in a stable and reliable Si technology has to face...
This phase I project scope is to develop the PTMsenseTM , a novel microscale electrochemical biosensor for highly sensitive detection of protein modifications. The biosensor will be further integrated (outside the scope of the phase I project) as the core technology of companion diagnostic kits that will allow matching a drug to a cancer patient in point-of-care settings....
Medical endoscopy is now a common but critical healthcare procedure to look inside, and perform medical procedures in the body. When performing endoscopic surgical procedures in the abdominal cavity (known as laparoscopy) only a small insertion cut needs be made into the abdominal wall. This is known as “key-hole” surgery or minimally invasive surgery. Its...
Europe is investigating the Einstein Telescope to enhance its research infrastructure. Around 2030 this facility should be operational to image the universe with gravitational waves with a ten-fold improved sensitivity compared to current interferometers. To reach this sensitivity one requires seismic sensor networks to subtract noise caused by direct gravitational coupling of mass density fluctuations to suspended components of...
Unpredictability is usually perceived with a sense of uneasiness and discomfort. However, when it comes to secure our data, information, posts, pictures and whatever flows to (or from) the internet about us, protection relies on unpredictability. The impossibility for an eavesdropper or a hacker to break the walls protecting what sits on the net about us depends on...
The main objective is to design and build the innovative CORaHE (COld Raman Head) sensor for Deep-UV Raman spectroscopy, to operate under cold environments between -30 and -5 oC. This portable sensor will perform non-destructive micro-Raman measurements of cold samples, without any limitation in size. The CORaHE sensor has been designed to cover the absence of technology to...
Advances in infrared photodetector based instrumentation technologies present significant development opportunities across a broad range of industries and applications. From security, health care and biosensing, to food plan analysis, geospatial mapping, petroleum exploration and intelligent transport, infrared photodetectors are the core components of modern light detecting instrumentation and play a key role in all the above applications. Despite...
Proton therapy is a promising cancer treatment modality with the ability to concentrate the deposited dose (Bragg peak) on the tumour while minimising collateral damage due to low dose to healthy surrounding tissue. However, uncertainties in the Bragg peak position limit clinical utility. Especially due to range uncertainties, patient movement and tissue deformation, the localisation accuracy is...
