Lecturer: G. Alberti
Period: February July
The research and development activity in the field of sensors has been overgrown in the last
decades, and the applications of these devices in everyday life, industry and research increase
progressively from year to year.
The basis of modern chemosensor and biosensor technology is the interaction between a target
analyte and a suitable receptor; this interaction causes the variation of a parameter that produces
a measurable and quantifiable signal. In chemosensors, the receptors can be supramolecular
systems or ligands forming colored or fluorescent adducts with the target analyte or else
Molecularly Imprinted Polymers (MIP), i.e., biomimetic receptors composed of synthetic material
containing recognition cavities selective for the molecule of interest. In biosensors, the receptors
are of biological origins, such as proteins (antibodies, enzymes) and nucleic acids (DNA, RNA,
aptamers). Chemosensors and biosensors will be described by classifying them according to the
signal transduction type, in particular electrochemical and optical.

It is often necessary to analyze complex matrices that require the determination of multiple
components. The use of sensor arrays that respond to a wide variety of substances coupled to a
chemometric signal processing system is increasing to meet this need.
The so-called “electronic noses” are used to identify mixtures of volatile organic substances while
the “electronic languages” are aimed at determining analytes in solution. Some examples of these
devices will be described.
Final exam: presentation and discussion of a recent research paper concerning the issues of the
course.