Advanced mUltianalyte lab-on-fibeR platform for neuroendocrine neoplasms diagnOsis based on all-dielectRic fluorescence-enhAncing metasurfaces (AURORA)

The “AURORA” project aims to develop an innovative nanophotonic biosensing platform capable of performing multi-analyte and ultra-sensitive detection, by means of fluorescence measurements, of three different miRNA biomarkers involved in neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN), which could constitute a molecular signature of the disease. The proposed platform is based on the integration on the termination of standard optical fibres, possibly bundled together with dielectric metasurfaces (MS) suitably designed to amplify the emission and collection of the fluorescence signal emitted by probes mounted on antisense molecules bound to the target miRNAs. The aim of this project will constitute a valuable platform for multianalyte ‘precision detection’ thanks to its multiplexing capability, its readout system characterised by high sensitivity and specificity, and to the possibility of being integrated either within medical needles/catheters for in vivo liquid biopsy applications, or with advanced microfluidic circuits for future Point of Care (PoC) diagnostic applications.