Syllabus for Biosensors

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to:

• describe the most commonly used biosensors today and their detection principles
• explain how biosensors are used for different applications
• compare different techniques regarding for example sensitivity and selectivity
• describe and critically examine a selected application within the field of biosensors
• propose a new type of biosensor for a given problem

Content

Examples of how biosensors are used for different applications. Method validation. Protein/antibody-based sensors: protein immobilisation, specificity, binding constants, kinetics, diffusion. Electrochemical and optical sensors/transducers. Potentiometric methods. Redox-enzymes in amperometric methods. Conductimetric methods. Applications of the quartz microbalance. Optical methods: UV/Vis/IR, fluorescence, luminescence, fibre optics, surface plasmon resonance. Diagnostics and other biosensor applications are discussed critically with special emphasis on sensitivity, selectivity and stability.

Instruction

Lectures, seminars, project, when possible study visit.

Assessment

Written exam at the end of the course (3 credits). The project is assigned 2 credits and is examined both in a written and an oral form. The final grade is a weighted average of the results of the written exam and the project.

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the disability coordinator of the university.

Other directives

This course cannot be included in a degree together with the course 1KB650 Biosensors, 5 credits, or 1KB466 Biosensors, 5 credits.