Entry requirements

120 credits with 20 credits Chemistry including 15 credits biochemistry, or 20 credits Chemistry and Cell Biology 15 credits. Proficiency in English equivalent to the Swedish upper secondary course English 6.

Learning outcomes

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

• describe how biospecific interaction is used for various applications
• describe the most common sensor principles used today, such as electric, optical, and mechanic registration.
• compare different techniques with emphasis on sensitivity and selectivity
• describe and critically evaluate a selected application of a biosensor

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). Project is assigned 2 credits.

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.