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Sepsis, defined as the systemic inflammatory response to a confirmed or suspected source of infection, is the most severe infection-related condition and its identification can be particularly difficult in the initial stages. The importance of having a POCT platform capable of measuring sepsis biomarkers for a secure early-stage diagnosis is evident since traditional methods of pathogen determination delay treatment and also increase the recovery period for the patient. The biggest advantage of optical probes is the ability to detect low quantities of target molecules without direct contact to the sample. Nanophotonics-based sensing promises to build on the advantages of optical sensing, while overcoming its limitations by providing a high sensitivity, specificity, dynamic range, as well as the possibility for easy integration into simple and affordable devices. The project FASPEC (Fiber-based planar antennas for biosensing and diagnostics) aims at developing and prototyping a high-performance fluorescence-based molecular assay for in-vitro diagnostics that integrates lab-on-a-chip and optical readout functionalities within a single, fully automated platform. The key biophotonics innovation of the project is the replacement of the bulk optics used for collecting the fluorescence signal with a suitably designed optofluidic chip. The latter shall function as an optical antenna to direct fluorescence towards the sensor head, hence enhancing the sensitivity of the fluorescence-based assay by orders of magnitude. Application-specific lab-on-a-chip systems equipped with our high-throughput and ultrasensitive detection scheme have been envisioned.
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